By Charles Offiong
These are two words, whose meanings are usually literally misconstrued. In as much as they sound similar, there is a need to put them in the right perspective, so as to erase any form of ambiguity and avoid the trap of mediocrity.
While listening to a programme on a primetime radio station, an analogy was made between two professions, which perfectly describe these words. Using this analogy and other examples, I will endeavour to shed some light on the similarities, differences, and importance of sight and vision. What you will be reading are as seen from my own point of view, and you may not agree with them. However, your contention does not change the fact that there is a need to clearly define or separate these two terms.
According to the dictionary, sight is the ability to see or the perception or view of objects by the eyes. It can be said to be something seen or worth seeing, i.e., a spectacle. It also means having a mental view, opinion or judgment about something. My emphasis shall be on the physical definition of sight, which is driven by how good a person's eyes are.
Sightedness is limited by how far the eyes can see, subject to any obstacles within the line of vision. By line of vision, I mean the distance between the eyes and the object being looked at. In other words, if the eyes can ordinarily see a tree of about 5m tall standing at about 1km (1000m) away from them, and if there is an obstacle, say a tower of 25m in height located 5m away from the eyes in the direction of the tree; then, the eyes will not be able to see the tree because their sight has been restricted to a mere 5m by the tower.
In as much as it helps in reducing our 'dependence' on other people for our locomotion and other activities in life, sight is deceptive in some cases. This is because the things we see and fall in love with at a glance, most times, do not always turn out to be what they seem. This has led many into committing avoidable errors and has destroyed destinies.
Do you remember Lot, Abraham's nephew? He was a victim of not-all-that-glitters-is-gold. When it was time for him to be separated from his uncle, he allowed his sight to influence his decision. Looking at the lushness of Sodom and Gomorrah (S&G), he hastily chose to make it a dwelling place for himself and his family. The rest is history, as we know how he lost everything, including his wife, who, unfortunately, was also a victim of sightedness. Yes, she was the one, who became that rock of sodium chloride after looking back. The only things that Lot safely left S&G with, were his morally-bankrupt daughters, who eventually got him drunk and made him commit incest with them.
Many people, like Lot, jump boats in their carriers, relationships and businesses because of the lofty promises the enticers offer, only to find out that it is the same sh*t everywhere, and that the grass always looks greener on the other side. So, in cases like this, relying on what you see or perceive only is not enough to make such life-changing decisions, we also need the GOD factor; which is always present as that faint little voice within us.
A person, who is moved by what he sees, suddenly becomes handicapped, when there is a damage to his instruments of sight, the eyes. This is because sight, which is ephemeral, can only last as long as the eyes are in good condition. Any tragic occurrence to them can throw the individual into a void of darkness and 'helplessness'.
A typical example is Samson, who being born with so much grace and valour, failed to realise why he was created; simply because he was driven by sight. The things he was instructed not to do, were the very things he did and when the grace finally departed from him and his eyes plucked out, he became a helpless puppet in the hands of his enemies; until he realized his mistakes and cried out to God for a second chance. Though, his request was granted, we know how he ended because of Delilah.
Vision, on the other hand, is something imaginary that one thinks he sees. It is an ideal or a goal toward which one aspires. It is a creation of fancy.
From the above, it is obvious that we do not need our eyes to have a vision, but our minds because we can only imagine with our subconscious and not with our eyes. To be visionary, you must be 'abnormal', because most of the things you will do while trying to achieve that vision will be viewed as madness by those around you, especially those moved by sight. It is only in a state of 'insanity' that you will be able to wade through the flood of discouragements coming from the 'sane' members of your family, community, colleagues, friends and fellow students. To be a visionary means breaking away from the norm and living your dreams!
Sight and vision have a few things in common. Firstly, both involve the act of seeing. However, while one makes use of the eyes for seeing, the other sees with the mind. While the eyes can only see clearly during the day or at night in the presence of light, the mind keeps on imagining (seeing) things irrespective of the time or condition. Also, both can be lost by a loss in focus of the object or dream. The eagle is one bird blessed with the power of focus. When it sights a prey on the ground, from the top of a mountain or tree, it does not lose focus of it until it has made the kill. The eagle knows that a slight shift in focus can make it lose the prey and cannot predict when it will find the next one.
One interesting case that we can use to buttress this point is the story of Joseph. At a very young age, he had a vision of becoming a famous and successful leader. He never allowed the challenges he faced to distract him from realizing his dreams, even when he was offered the 'pleasure' of Madam Portiphar on a platter of gold. The circumstance Joseph overcame and got exalted to the palace (from the prison) was the same Samson fell for and got his destiny truncated.
Sight is impeded by obstacles, whereas, vision can only be stopped by the refusal of the individual to dream. In as much as a person will love to see so much with his eyes, he can only achieve so little in the presence of obstacles. In fact, most times, the eyes leave the object they are meant to see and magnify the obstacle. With the mind, the opportunities are boundless and the abilities are limitless; instead of obstacles, it sees stepping stones; instead of mountains, it sees plains because it works by faith! The mind calls unto those things which are not as if they were!
This was the difference between #Team-Joshua-and-Caleb and #Team-Other-Israelites when they were sent by Moses to go and spy the land of Canaan. While Joshua and Caleb saw the inhabitants as bread before the children of Israel, the others saw themselves as grasshoppers before the inhabitants of Canaan. In fact, they even magnified their status by calling them giants. How do you view your challenges in life? Are they as bread before you, or are you as grasshopper before them?
A man driven by sight is like a hunter, who lives for the now, and believes that 'tomorrow will take care of itself'. He sets the trap, and spends his time monitoring to see when it makes a catch. When a game is eventually caught, he is ready to consume everything with his 'friends and family'. He hardly thinks about preserving for the future, he believes that the games will always be available whenever he needs them. He knows nothing about the rainy day. On the other hand, a man of vision is like a farmer, who lives for the future. He is ready to spend his today to secure the future. He cultivates the land, sows the seeds, nurtures the plants and harvests them when mature. He sows a seed, and reaps a bunch of hundreds of seeds. Yet, he does not consume everything, as he preserves some for the next season and sells some in the market, if necessary. The hunter is shortsighted, while the farmer is foresighted.
This reminds me of the weird twins. Yes, you guessed right - Esau and Jacob! I call them weird because they are the only set of twins recorded to have fought for supremacy right from their mother's womb till their adulthood. I have never heard nor read of any other. Bros Esau, who walked by sight, was asked by his brother, Jacob - a man of vision, to sell his birthright to him, for a plate of porridge. He lived for the now, and what mattered to him was how to satisfy his hunger. Due to his shortsightedness, he could not understand the importance of a birthright, and as such, did not hesitate to sell his future for his stomach. The rest is history. At this point, I will like to ask a rhetorical question: Would that hunger have killed Esau, if he had chosen not to eat the porridge? Your answer is as good as mine.
My dear readers, it is important to note that true blindness is not the lack of sight, but the lack of vision. No wonder the Bible says, "My people perish for lack of vision" (paraphrased). Though, one is physically blind, as long as he can dream or allow his imaginations to run wild within his subconscious, then, he is illimitable. Being handicapped is not a crime, but it suddenly becomes one when it is used as an excuse for failure. There are individuals abound, both dead and alive, who were/are blind, but accomplished in their various endeavours. They include: Ray Charles, Helen Keller, Steve Wonders and our very own Cobhams Asuquo, to mention but a few. So, if the physically blind do not have any excuse to fail, what about you - the able bodied?
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These are two words, whose meanings are usually literally misconstrued. In as much as they sound similar, there is a need to put them in the right perspective, so as to erase any form of ambiguity and avoid the trap of mediocrity.
While listening to a programme on a primetime radio station, an analogy was made between two professions, which perfectly describe these words. Using this analogy and other examples, I will endeavour to shed some light on the similarities, differences, and importance of sight and vision. What you will be reading are as seen from my own point of view, and you may not agree with them. However, your contention does not change the fact that there is a need to clearly define or separate these two terms.
According to the dictionary, sight is the ability to see or the perception or view of objects by the eyes. It can be said to be something seen or worth seeing, i.e., a spectacle. It also means having a mental view, opinion or judgment about something. My emphasis shall be on the physical definition of sight, which is driven by how good a person's eyes are.
Sightedness is limited by how far the eyes can see, subject to any obstacles within the line of vision. By line of vision, I mean the distance between the eyes and the object being looked at. In other words, if the eyes can ordinarily see a tree of about 5m tall standing at about 1km (1000m) away from them, and if there is an obstacle, say a tower of 25m in height located 5m away from the eyes in the direction of the tree; then, the eyes will not be able to see the tree because their sight has been restricted to a mere 5m by the tower.
In as much as it helps in reducing our 'dependence' on other people for our locomotion and other activities in life, sight is deceptive in some cases. This is because the things we see and fall in love with at a glance, most times, do not always turn out to be what they seem. This has led many into committing avoidable errors and has destroyed destinies.
Do you remember Lot, Abraham's nephew? He was a victim of not-all-that-glitters-is-gold. When it was time for him to be separated from his uncle, he allowed his sight to influence his decision. Looking at the lushness of Sodom and Gomorrah (S&G), he hastily chose to make it a dwelling place for himself and his family. The rest is history, as we know how he lost everything, including his wife, who, unfortunately, was also a victim of sightedness. Yes, she was the one, who became that rock of sodium chloride after looking back. The only things that Lot safely left S&G with, were his morally-bankrupt daughters, who eventually got him drunk and made him commit incest with them.
Many people, like Lot, jump boats in their carriers, relationships and businesses because of the lofty promises the enticers offer, only to find out that it is the same sh*t everywhere, and that the grass always looks greener on the other side. So, in cases like this, relying on what you see or perceive only is not enough to make such life-changing decisions, we also need the GOD factor; which is always present as that faint little voice within us.
A person, who is moved by what he sees, suddenly becomes handicapped, when there is a damage to his instruments of sight, the eyes. This is because sight, which is ephemeral, can only last as long as the eyes are in good condition. Any tragic occurrence to them can throw the individual into a void of darkness and 'helplessness'.
A typical example is Samson, who being born with so much grace and valour, failed to realise why he was created; simply because he was driven by sight. The things he was instructed not to do, were the very things he did and when the grace finally departed from him and his eyes plucked out, he became a helpless puppet in the hands of his enemies; until he realized his mistakes and cried out to God for a second chance. Though, his request was granted, we know how he ended because of Delilah.
Vision, on the other hand, is something imaginary that one thinks he sees. It is an ideal or a goal toward which one aspires. It is a creation of fancy.
From the above, it is obvious that we do not need our eyes to have a vision, but our minds because we can only imagine with our subconscious and not with our eyes. To be visionary, you must be 'abnormal', because most of the things you will do while trying to achieve that vision will be viewed as madness by those around you, especially those moved by sight. It is only in a state of 'insanity' that you will be able to wade through the flood of discouragements coming from the 'sane' members of your family, community, colleagues, friends and fellow students. To be a visionary means breaking away from the norm and living your dreams!
Sight and vision have a few things in common. Firstly, both involve the act of seeing. However, while one makes use of the eyes for seeing, the other sees with the mind. While the eyes can only see clearly during the day or at night in the presence of light, the mind keeps on imagining (seeing) things irrespective of the time or condition. Also, both can be lost by a loss in focus of the object or dream. The eagle is one bird blessed with the power of focus. When it sights a prey on the ground, from the top of a mountain or tree, it does not lose focus of it until it has made the kill. The eagle knows that a slight shift in focus can make it lose the prey and cannot predict when it will find the next one.
One interesting case that we can use to buttress this point is the story of Joseph. At a very young age, he had a vision of becoming a famous and successful leader. He never allowed the challenges he faced to distract him from realizing his dreams, even when he was offered the 'pleasure' of Madam Portiphar on a platter of gold. The circumstance Joseph overcame and got exalted to the palace (from the prison) was the same Samson fell for and got his destiny truncated.
Sight is impeded by obstacles, whereas, vision can only be stopped by the refusal of the individual to dream. In as much as a person will love to see so much with his eyes, he can only achieve so little in the presence of obstacles. In fact, most times, the eyes leave the object they are meant to see and magnify the obstacle. With the mind, the opportunities are boundless and the abilities are limitless; instead of obstacles, it sees stepping stones; instead of mountains, it sees plains because it works by faith! The mind calls unto those things which are not as if they were!
This was the difference between #Team-Joshua-and-Caleb and #Team-Other-Israelites when they were sent by Moses to go and spy the land of Canaan. While Joshua and Caleb saw the inhabitants as bread before the children of Israel, the others saw themselves as grasshoppers before the inhabitants of Canaan. In fact, they even magnified their status by calling them giants. How do you view your challenges in life? Are they as bread before you, or are you as grasshopper before them?
A man driven by sight is like a hunter, who lives for the now, and believes that 'tomorrow will take care of itself'. He sets the trap, and spends his time monitoring to see when it makes a catch. When a game is eventually caught, he is ready to consume everything with his 'friends and family'. He hardly thinks about preserving for the future, he believes that the games will always be available whenever he needs them. He knows nothing about the rainy day. On the other hand, a man of vision is like a farmer, who lives for the future. He is ready to spend his today to secure the future. He cultivates the land, sows the seeds, nurtures the plants and harvests them when mature. He sows a seed, and reaps a bunch of hundreds of seeds. Yet, he does not consume everything, as he preserves some for the next season and sells some in the market, if necessary. The hunter is shortsighted, while the farmer is foresighted.
This reminds me of the weird twins. Yes, you guessed right - Esau and Jacob! I call them weird because they are the only set of twins recorded to have fought for supremacy right from their mother's womb till their adulthood. I have never heard nor read of any other. Bros Esau, who walked by sight, was asked by his brother, Jacob - a man of vision, to sell his birthright to him, for a plate of porridge. He lived for the now, and what mattered to him was how to satisfy his hunger. Due to his shortsightedness, he could not understand the importance of a birthright, and as such, did not hesitate to sell his future for his stomach. The rest is history. At this point, I will like to ask a rhetorical question: Would that hunger have killed Esau, if he had chosen not to eat the porridge? Your answer is as good as mine.
My dear readers, it is important to note that true blindness is not the lack of sight, but the lack of vision. No wonder the Bible says, "My people perish for lack of vision" (paraphrased). Though, one is physically blind, as long as he can dream or allow his imaginations to run wild within his subconscious, then, he is illimitable. Being handicapped is not a crime, but it suddenly becomes one when it is used as an excuse for failure. There are individuals abound, both dead and alive, who were/are blind, but accomplished in their various endeavours. They include: Ray Charles, Helen Keller, Steve Wonders and our very own Cobhams Asuquo, to mention but a few. So, if the physically blind do not have any excuse to fail, what about you - the able bodied?
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WhatsApp: 07034776117
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Good piece charles
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