The Eye of the Beholder

"The eye of the beholder." What a strange saying.

Our eyes are all the same, mostly. I'm not counting the many people with forms of color blindness but that's another story. For the most part our eyes are pretty similar.

The saying is a metaphor for how everyone sees beauty differently, and how our opinions are never exact.

I understand this is only metaphorical but I can't help thinking that what we detect as beauty lies in the brain, not the eyes, I probably am pulling this apart too much but still, what we do see with our eyes and how we see the world is unlike anything or anyone else. And our eyes can't always be trusted.

Call it everyone's unique perspective if you will. Now to my point.

Do you know what the back of your head looks like? Might sound like a stupid question, but do you really? It's impossible to see with your own eyes, but you've seen pictures. But how do you know the pictures aren't wrong, morphed, or changed. How do you know your friends aren't lying when they tell you how it looks, or compare it to said picture. Truly you don't know.

This all may sound very paranoid, and in some cases it is. But this idea stretches to everything.

You don't truly know anything outside your line of sight. For all you know everything never has existed until you saw it.

I did not come up with this philosophy myself however.

I live in a small town in the North-Eastern United States. One day while walking home, an old man pulled me to the side. He looked homeless. He had some teeth missing, a wool cap on and ragged clothes. I assumed he wanted some change so I started rummaging through my pockets when he stopped me.

He introduced himself as John Patrick, a war veteran who came home to find his family had left him. With no money and no job, he became what he is today.

John went on to explain what I've already told you, with the whole perspective thing. Then he said something else.

John said he was tired of his old life, and might as well tell me something no one else will have the courage to do. This is what he said:

"There is a man behind you. Don't look! You won't see him anyway. This man, since the day you came into this world has been right behind you, always barely out of sight. He doesn't appear on film, or in mirrors but he is always there.

Other people see the man but he threatens them not tell you. He can't be killed and he is always seen, by everyone but yo-"

His words were cut short by a gasp of breath. As he clenched his heart I called 911, but it was too late. The ambulance came and took him minutes later. He died of a heart attack right in-front of me.

That night I pondered what the old man had said. How the man was always behind me.

Well I can't let this go unanswered can I.

You see there's something I haven't told you. Call me arrogant but I'm a perfectionist, I must know everything you see, and to have this go unanswered, that just won't do.

My grandmother had some books in the basement, I think she was a witch or something like that. I've read them all of course but I remember something about infinite sight. I looked in one of the books and sure enough the infinite sight spell was right there.

I followed the instruction, drank the brew, and the rest is history.

Not only did I see the man behind me, but I saw the man behind you as well. I also saw what these men do to the people who they follow.

I'm afraid I won't be alive for much longer, but don't worry your time will come, well, when he decides it's time that is.

Beautiful, isn't it?

--Rockandstones1 (talk) 04:51, August 1, 2014 (UTC)Rockandstones1