What would the world be like if you were unable to view your surroundings in order to obtain a better understanding? Observation has always played a big role in my life and has helped me get a good perception of things. It has also inspired my hobbies and passions.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how things work and what makes objects in nature the way they are. Painting, my favorite hobby, helps me to study an object or a certain scene very closely, and obtain a better understanding of it, and its role. Art can be very expressive within itself, and viewing other artist's work is also very enjoyable because I try to figure out why the artist did a particular thing or chose a certain medium. I don’t like to over analyze art, because I feel that some things don’t have a hidden meaning, and I might not always know for sure if my accusations are correct, but it helps me learn.

Another way I use observation is by looking at different types of people in photographs or real life and try to understand where they are going and what they have been through. Again, I don’t ever really know the truth wound up in these complete strangers, but I think it makes me a more understanding person if I try to “look for the truth”. By observing the people that surround me, I can realize how diverse and special each individual is, and try to understand what makes them who they are. In addition, I feel that observing myself is also important. I may not always like what I see, as with anything, but it has shaped who I am. After all, I guess I am partly in control, and I might as well take advantage of that.

Observation has helped me learn and understand, as well as give me something interesting to do. I can now understand my role in life and what makes me and other people happy. Things have come more and more into focus, the more I observe.