Field of vision. That area that you see when your eyes are looking straight ahead. What is your field of vision?
As you have probably determined, it doesn’t take much for me to get distracted by something I see in my peripheral vision. I don’t want to miss a thing.

Yet I know so many people who miss what is right in front of them. And, there are others who can only see what is right in front of them.

Recently, I was driving to visit my granddaughter Gabby who is getting ready to graduate from Linfield University. I’m rather proud of her. She will graduate with a double major in math and physics.

Mom called laxatives physics. Could be that is why I’m at a loss when my granddaughter tries to teach me about it. Hmm. I got sidetracked.

As I rounded the roundabout, my peripheral vision caught movement along the side. A lovely doe was standing there. She made my day! I drove on a bit through some wetlands. My eyes were drawn to the right side of the road where I saw an American bald eagle standing at the end of a pool. Had I looked straight ahead I would have missed these two wonderful sights.

How often do we get so focused on one thing that our field of vision disappears? What do we miss if we do not allow ourselves to take in the life, the opinions, the people around us?

My father was a wonderful person with a love of vehicles on wheels. If Dad was driving the car, truck or tractor, I was there. He pointed out things as we passed and talked to me about them.

Not only did I gain knowledge, but I learned to observe and take note. I learned to ask
questions. My view of the world widened with each adventure. Those lessons were priceless.

My view of the world widened.

Thank goodness we have a wide field of vision. The peripheral sight warns us. It gives us a wider view of the world and, hopefully, of people. A panoramic view tucked into two eye sockets capturing life in real time.

Field of vision.

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Pamela Loxley Drake is a Beaverton resident and self-described lifelong “farm girl.” You can contact her at pamldrake@gmail.com.