I see you

One of my all time favorite movies is Avatar...the James Cameron blockbuster. The most compelling line from the whole movie to me is "I see you" which among the people of the Na'vi means so much more than I see you standing there in front of me. It is their ways of acknowledging the other person on a far more comprehensive level.

As I understand it, it is closer to the common greeting in India of Namaste or Namaskar. "In India, the common greeting Namaskar or Namaste is no simple Hello. When one says Namaskar to someone, what it means is that he/she acknowledges the spark of the divine that is present inside them. Hinduism believes that God is an all-pervading force that envelopes all beings and things." (from Vimho's World)

While I was mostly impressed how incredibly visually stunning the movie Avatar was, I also liked a lot of the features Cameron built in to the Na'vi, this being one of them.

This has given me room to consider the extent to which any of us can truly know another person and to ponder how much I want to be known. At times I hunger for authentic connection with others. Yet at the same time I have long standing pattern of remaining somewhat guarded, not feeling comfortable with too much exposure of my private self.

I can talk about what I THINK until the cows come home. Matters of intellect and philosphy are pretty safe ground. Being open about how I FEEL is another matter entirely. I can be pretty darned selective in who I choose to be open with about my emotions.

To what extent do you truly see others? To what extent do you allow yourself to be seen?