What if most of what we react to in life isn’t reality—but our interpretation of it?
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective not the truth.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius reminds us that life is filtered through the lens of our own perception. What we call “truth” is often just our angle, shaped by emotion, memory, and belief. Two people can experience the same moment and walk away with completely different stories—and both will feel certain they’re right. The invitation here is to loosen our grip on certainty. When we pause before reacting, we create space for curiosity: What else might be true? What am I not seeing? Wisdom begins when we recognize the gap between appearance and reality, and learn to hold our opinions lightly. When we do, we not only grow—we become more compassionate toward others walking through a different version of the same world.
💬 Question for Readers
When has a shift in perspective changed the way you understood a situation—or a person?