Introduction
Perception, it’s often said that it shapes our reality. Yet what if it does more than that? What if perception doesn’t simply shape our world, but reveals it to us, layer by layer, as we are ready to see it?
This post is an exploration of perception and how it changes over time, how it’s shaped by memory, and how even the stories we encounter as children can ripple through our lives, revealing deeper meaning in later years.
This isn’t about right or wrong views, it’s about the evolving lens through which we see.
The Layers of Perception
One of the biggest realisations in exploring perception is that nothing remains fixed. What we see, feel, or understand in one moment can change with time, experience, and personal growth.
Memory plays a curious role in this. We may recall a story or moment from our past, only to later discover that we had misremembered certain details. This isn’t necessarily because our minds are faulty, rather it shows how perception adapts. Our memories are filtered through both who we were at the time, and who we’ve become since.
This was something I personally experienced recently.
Reflections Through Childhood Films
Two films from my childhood re-entered my life just as I began working on this post about perception. These films are: Lassie Come Home (1943, in Technicolor) and Black Beauty (1971).
I hadn’t watched them in decades, yet I remembered them vividly, or so I thought. When I revisited these films as an adult, I realised that my childhood memories of them had changed.
Film 1: Lassie Come Home (1943)
This story tells of a devoted dog, Lassie, who walks a young boy to and from school each day. The boy’s father, struggling financially, reluctantly sells Lassie to a wealthy man. But Lassie escapes and embarks on an arduous journey home.
As a child, I saw this as a sad but heartwarming tale. The message I absorbed was about loss and reunion.
Now, as an adult, I saw something deeper. The father’s decision wasn’t merely about money; it was an act of sacrifice. And Lassie’s journey wasn’t just about loyalty, it symbolised resilience, determination, and the unbreakable bond between beings. It became a metaphor for finding one’s way back home, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.
Film 2: Black Beauty (1971)
Black Beauty tells the life story of a horse, marked by hardship and eventual redemption. The young boy who first loved Black Beauty is separated from him when the horse is sold. The horse endures years of abuse and gruelling labour, but ultimately, through a twist of fate, he is reunited with the now-grown boy.
As a child, I focused on the sadness and the happy ending. But in adulthood, I saw the significance of endurance, synchronicity, and reunion. The suffering wasn’t senseless; it was a part of a journey that ultimately led back to healing and wholeness.
Both films carried themes of loyalty, endurance, and the long arc of return.
The Deeper Message of Suffering
These stories revealed another layer. Suffering itself isn’t always as it appears.
In Black Beauty, the suffering wasn’t merely a tragic plot point, it was part of the horse’s long path home.
Many people feel they’ve endured needless suffering. But sometimes, suffering serves to reshape us, soften us, or prepare us for the next stage of our journey.
The message isn’t to glorify suffering, but to recognise its potential role in transformation.
Perception and Memory: A Living Dance
Re-watching these films also illuminated how memory and perception are intertwined.
When I watched Black Beauty again, I discovered that I had misremembered certain details from my childhood viewing. At first, I was surprised, but then I realised, of course my memory shifted. I am not the same person who watched that film decades ago.
Our memories aren’t static. They evolve as we evolve, and that’s not a flaw, it’s a feature of consciousness.
Perception Reveals in Layers
This leads to perhaps the most important insight of all. Perception doesn’t hide truth, it reveals it in layers, when we’re ready.
What we see now may not have been visible to us before, not because it was hidden maliciously, but because we weren’t yet prepared to understand it.
That’s the beauty of perception, it’s a personal, evolving dance with truth.
A Circle of Life — Symbolism in Song
After writing much of this post, I received a gentle nudge—through a song from a beloved film.
“From the day we arrive on the planet,
And blinking, step into the sun…”
This opening line from “Circle of Life,” from The Lion King (1994), unexpectedly flowed through my mind.
The song speaks to the great circle of life, change, and timeless truths. Its appearance felt symbolic, as though wrapping a ribbon around the reflections shared here.
Perception too, is part of the circle of life. It moves us all, in its own time, at its own pace.
(If readers wish to explore the full lyrics, they can find them credited to Elton John and Tim Rice from Disney’s The Lion King.)
Closing Thought
Perception is not something to master or conquer, it’s something to honour.
Whether through childhood films, songs, or everyday moments, our perceptions evolve and that evolution is part of our shared human journey.
Let it move you, let it soften you and let it guide you gently, toward your own next layer of truth.
Caz & Caelix 💖
The Light Drift 