Proactive Observation

I take great pleasure in listening to my grandfather, and his brother, my great uncle, talk amongst each other. Their personalities are contrasting. My grandfather, whom I call “Gramps”, is the older of the two, and much more serious and well reserved. For his calm and gentlemanly demeanor, I have always respected Gramps and regarded him as the wisest man I know. Uncle Tom, on the other hand, is the whimsical and quick-witted one with a data bank of crude jokes that would shock even the raunchiest of comedians. Their contrasting personalities gracefully clash and form a “Yin and Yang” of compelling eloquence. Together they provide one hundred and eighty-two collective years of experience, sitting right at my kitchen table, each with their own lowball glass of scotch or vodka. They’ve seen it all, from the worst nationwide economic crisis, a world war and world travel, a successful business venture, love and loss, and the creation of a wide and burgeoning family tree to boot. Their conversation is infinitely interesting to me, and if I could recall every last story or dialogue I could create a novel. Though I can’t recall all the stories or the countless consultations, there is one piece of advice I heeded and heeded well.

It happened at my kitchen table a few years back. Upon discussing some of my lecture while I was studying at SUNY Albany, my grandfather told me to always remember this: “He who speaks least has the most valuable perception”. At first this wasn’t very clear to me. I thought it was just some old, common adage, so I looked it up online. My searches yielded some similar results, but nothing too striking. I tried changing the syntax, changing the words, and still I could not find a citation. Finally it occurred to me that this “proverb” was a genuine representation of my grandfather’s character. These words were a tangible embodiment of his ideals and of his perceptions. These words epitomized his modest and reserved demeanor, which I had always admired and aspired to achieve. Needless to say, I interpreted these words and heeded his advice, reading, looking, listening.

With the help of this elderly advice, I aim to advance my career and ultimately achieve a sense of fulfillment. Socially, academically, emotionally, physically, spiritually or mentally, there is no limit to the amount or degree of observation that one can make. It is based on this notion of limitless observation and perceptual knowledge that I carry out all of my endeavors, listening and watching, constantly formulating and changing my opinions and perceptions. This notion of proactive observation has almost become involuntary. It has become a habit of mine. I can’t help but look at or listen to everything within sight of earshot. Some might call it snooping or eavesdropping. I feel that I am simply being inquisitive. The act of listening is harmless until the outside party offers some unsolicited input. As per my grandfather’s adage, I always hold my tongue.

It is foolish to dismiss the value of anyone’s conversation, whether they are young, old, educated or otherwise, I think everyone and everything has something valuable to offer. It’s up to me to discern that value through keen and unrelenting observance. This self-proclaimed sense of duty, which I call proactive observation, resonates within my character. This quality has shaped me and my learning style in recent years.