Blind spot

It was about 10 years ago. One afternoon, my friend asked me to give her a lift to the airport. The rain was quite intense that day, so we left early, allowing plenty of time for delays on the road. My usual route was from Blacktown through M4 up to King Georges Road and then M5 to the airport. The traffic was rather heavy and slow, and as usual, the turn off ramp from M4 to M5 congested. As we reached that place, we joined patiently long queue of cars on the left lane. As soon as the traffic light changed to green, I slowly followed the car in the front of me when suddenly I felt our car was pushed and dragged by a truck which appeared from nowhere and decided last minute to merge into our lane. He did not see me-I was in his blind spot! I immediately put my hand on a horn and tried to control the car, which was impossible at that stage. After a couple of seconds, which felt like a long time, the truck stopped, and I could stop as well. The damage was not too bad, but I lost the right mirror and the whole right side of the car needed a replacement. After an exchange of details for insurance, taking a few photos of the place, assessing the damage, and checking if my car was drivable, still shaking, we continued our way to the airport. A few months later, the insurance company asked me for a detailed statement about the accident as the truck driver denied he was at fault. Luckily, I had enough evidence and witnesses who could provide the proof of what happened that day.

Every time I recall this story, I think about blind spots in our life. Our anatomy helps us to define what it means: A blind spot, scotoma, is an obscuration of the visual field. A particular blind spot known as the physiological blind spot, “blind point”, or punctum caecum in medical literature, is the place in the visual field that corresponds to the lack of light-detecting photoreceptor cells on the optic disc of the retina where the optic nerve passes through the optic disc. Because there are no cells to detect light on the optic disc, the corresponding part of the field of vision is invisible.(en.wikipidia.org)

There are so many things which appears to be invisible to us in our own life. Sometimes we genuinely do not see the way we are and the way we act. We judge others without realising that what we do or don’t do influences others in a positive or negative way. At times we deny our wrongdoings. We try to shift the blame and do not take responsibility for our actions. A significant milestone in our life occurs when we stop looking for excuses. This is a lifelong process. It is a process of maturing, admitting our mistakes, and starting over again. It requires to take into our heart words of Jesus: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Matthew 7:3) 

Sometimes we need a stranger or a very close person to show us our blind spots. Occasionally, intentionally or not, we become guides to others to show them theirs. Knowing and admitting our own blind spots should make us less judgemental and humbler. Seeing our blind spots is responding to God’s Grace given to us to become more like Him.

What if this week, we focus on being more understanding and kind and more like Jesus? Maybe this will be the best way to identify our own blind spots and being more sensitive and considerate when dealing with other people’s shortcomings.

Have a good week, everyone.

Sr Grace