Reading: Meditation in a Toolshed, Lewis
In "Meditation in a Toolshed," Lewis differentiates between two different perspectives: looking at, and looking along. When one looks "at" something, he or she sees the components that make up the experience; simply put, one breaks it down to a science. On the other end, when one looks "along" an experience, he or she is actually emotionally involved in the experience, or has previously experienced such a thing, and is therefore able to understand what it "feels" like.
I feel as though there are two different groups in popular society which prefer one or the other of the perspectives. The educated world, the "intelligentsia," per say, tend to look at things, rather than along them. They find it difficult to subject themselves to experiences because they have a natural habit of trying to explain it, to break it down to a point at which the experience is no longer an experience, but rather a jumble of psychological, biological, and chemical coincidences.
The second group is made up of the artist, the emotionally driven, those who dive headfirst into life, love, danger. This group loves to be able to look along, loves to be able to say, "I've been there," and "I know how you feel." They give advice based on what they've been through, their experience, rather than what they've witnessed others experience.
There is, however, a third group. This is the group we sometimes unconsciously strain for, and, depending on the person, of course, sometimes achieve. This third group is balanced. One in this group might look at as many things as he or she can and decide, based on the observations made, whether or not to experience something. At the same time, however (because life is unpredictable, and we are not in complete control), some are inexplicably subjected to some experiences without realizing it, and in this third group, one has learned to step back and observe how they are experiencing something; basically, take a break from looking along, and look at. The third group has learned to balance looking at and looking along in order to fully understand and appreciate the experience. It is the third group that Lewis encourages us to be a part of.
I thought it was very interesting that you split the different perspectives into three groups of people, and I agree with what you say. Lewis encourages us to become part of the third group because by looking at things from two different perspectives, we have a better understanding. Although both perspectives are very important, they are strongest when they are put together. In order to have full appreciation of something, we must look both "at" and "along" it.
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