Before we all bought flat screen TV’s, we used to watch widescreen movies on HBO or TCM on our “square” (4:3 standard aspect ratio) screens in what is called “letterbox”. This meant that widescreen films would be shown in a 16:9 aspect, with two black bands across the bottom and top of the screen to allow the entire picture to be shown on standard 4:3 television screen. The peripheral action on the edges of the screen could be seen as well, in the way the director intended when he filmed and edited it.
It’s a somewhat dorky metaphor, but letterbox can refer to one’s life as well. It’s important to focus on whatever the center of your life is, but you also need to make certain that the “edges” are not cut off, or ignored. The picture looks different without the peripherals, sometimes causing you to miss an important element of life as it plays out in front of you.
If you cannot (or choose not to) see the whole picture presented, you can find yourself led astray in trying to make a decision or deal with an issue; or just enjoying life. In addition, most of life’s pleasures are NOT in the center of the screen, so unless we swing our focus over to them and make them the center, we may not see them. For most of us, this “refocus” is a conscious decision, and not one that our day-to-day life “directs” us toward.
Make sure life (all those external things that rule us: our job, the world, bureaucracy…) don’t take over the “direction” of your “personal film.” Consciously absorb the periphery and make sure the lens moves in to capture those scenes as well…
Pretty deep for a Monday, eh?