I was swimming a couple of days ago, and I paused to look at the water. The palm trees extended out in living color next to the pool were a world away from the shapes reflected in the water. Waterside, their lines wobbled and waved over and over again.

I gazed from the real to the reflected, astonished at the difference.

Seeing isn’t as direct a verb as I had hoped.

Knowing that makes a big difference.

Just as the water alters appearances, our brains alter the way we see. We are left with wavering, uncertain images with brains that see what they expect to see.

In the end, we are left with the question… can we ever see our own reflection?

Does the true shape of the palm even matter if it’s so hard to see?

Can we remember the imperfect lines our minds draw?