Heroes Not Zombies

I took this photo earlier this year in a forest. What caught my eye was how the tree stump looked like a face, or the head of a wild animal.

Our brains have evolved a brilliant ability to notice patterns around us, and one of the patterns the brain is most attuned to is that of a face. We can see what looks like a face in a tree, a cliff, a rock, a bush….you name it. We also develop a great skill in recognising faces….even when we often completely forget the name of the person whose face we recognise. How many times are you watching a movie and you say “I recognise that actor. Who are they again?” And how often do you meet someone who you know you know, but because they are in a different context at this moment, you can’t for the life of you, remember their name? I used to find that a lot when I met nurses, or patients, who I only knew from the hospital, in the street, or in a shop. We recognise the face before we figure out who this person is.

But, back to the woods again……what patterns do you spot in a forest? Faces? Hearts? Something else? Whatever it is, I bet your experience is enhanced by your pattern recognition. It’s pleasing. It sparks wonder, delight and curiosity. We humans are great at creating layers of meaning over what we encounter in our every day. It makes life richer and deeper.