What do you think I would say, or see, if I came over to your home right now? Don’t panic, I’m not heading over there just this minute, merely a conjecture. Indulge me if you will, and take a quick look around with me. Do YOU see what I see? If I’m a betting woman, I say emphatically, no.
Like the three wise monkeys who embody the principle, “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” I’m guessing that most of what I observe, YOU no longer see. After much time, things become invisible. So often when I tour a client’s home and inquire about a particular pile or puddle of things, they respond with sheer bewilderment as if they’re looking at it for the very first time. In fact, they have no rational defense for why those items are actually there. For me, it clarifies how powerful the objective eye truly is, and how much value that brings to my role as a Professional Organizer.
While there are so many various interpretations of the pictorial maxim of the three wise monkeys, the concept can also have significant meaning to how you to choose to live an orderly life, or not. I think it accurately depicts the person who turns a blind eye to a situation (sees no mess); refuses to acknowledge it (hears no nagging about the mess); who doesn’t want to be involved and who feigns ignorance (chooses not to speak of the mess).
How many of us look the other way when confronted with unpleasantness? Isn’t it so much easier to close our eyes, cover our ears, and shut our mouths?
I’d like to think that there could be a positive and useful reference to the three wise monkeys; one that infers being of good mind, considerate speech, and affirmative action. The challenge is in opening your eyes to reality, listening to what others have to say, and speaking with an open mind and heart.
How do you deal with your unsightly mess? What monkeys do you have on your back?