Several years ago, I had an in-depth ophthalmology exam that included a field-vision test. When I finished, the Ophthalmologist came into the office. Quietly, he looked over the exam, and then he began looking at my face as he wrote his report. These intense glances continued for a couple of minutes. Finally, he spoke. The meticulous physician indicated there were blind spots in my test results, but he surmised that the bridge of my nose created the missing elements. Maybe, I should have had that nose job after all. Alas, I did not. The good news is that although it subjected me to a blind spot, I was not going blind.
As I began to write this article, I thought about that long-ago experience. Metaphorically speaking, all of us have blind spots, don’t we? Sometimes, we need to look steadily in the mirror and see that it may be right in front of us. Recently, I did just that.
No Coincidences
My last two articles, Delete Part One and Two, addressed the ambivalence I and many have with social media platforms. Because I tend to be tolerant about various things, I let certain annoyances slide until it gets too much. I discussed this in both articles. What I missed is the fact that others may see tagging as I see overselling. Yes, my holier-than-thou attitude about not being overbearing on social media began to fall flat on its face. After someone gently pointed out that tagging could fall in the category of the other nuisances, a bit sheepishly, I had to look at my reflection and admit my hypocrisy. Yes, Moi was not practicing what she preached. Frequently, there are no coincidences. My article tagged this individual for the first time, and I am most pleased it reached his eyes. Consequently, detection of this faux pas may not have occurred, and no such article on this topic would have materialized from me.
I am most indebted to the diplomatic individual who pointed this out, influencing me to pen my thoughts on this issue. As I stated in the article, “Deleted,” I do not tag on Facebook. In the last eighteen months, LinkedIn people have not been so fortunate. For my colleagues who received persistent notifications about my articles, I promise no more. Yes, I will continue to write weekly, but you will have to search your timelines or be on the lookout for my latest.
Full Circle
So, colleagues, I have come full circle, returning to my actual practice of never tagging a soul on LinkedIn. Some of you might breathe a sigh of relief and say, “Thank God.” For the individual who gently reminded me, a great big thanks for inspiring me to write this.
Like my blind spot from long ago, I need to be more aware of others, looking in the mirror to see I am not the “fairest of them all” when it comes to many things, including this situation. Being forever a work-in-progress, I will be vigilant, studying myself more scrupulously before pointing out specific behavior in others.
Blessings Darlene,
Prudence is such a virtue which is illustrated in coming to life in your above article. We too can be our worst critic. Have a blessed day!
Thank you, Lynn! I appreciate it. I try to practice what I preach, but this time, I needed to look at a glaring blind spot. God Bless you! Have a blessed day also. By the way, I still plan on writing that article re: The Men and Women in Blue. I have one that is timely and needs to be done, but that will be next.
With a smile and much gratitude,
Darlene.