Perception

Sometimes the actual scenario is very different from the perception we have build in our mind. Just because of certain minor concerns the entire perception is changed against that specific person or place or incident. Mostly these concerns are related to some subconscious signals produced by our mind.

Let me make it simple through one example, if you ask a child that in which school is he studying? And you get an answer “NAYE ROSHNI SCHOOL”, what will be your first perception for that child? Now think this way, same question with another child and the answer is “Karachi State School”, are both answers different from each other? Definitely not, but will your first thought be same in both cases? Definitely not!

Why

Just because, first response of our mind against any object is through our subconscious perception for that object. In above example our subconscious told us that “NAYE ROSHNI SCHOOL” is set as a bad name in our mind and for “Karachi State School” there is no such entity recorded in our mind. After that when our mind does the processing then in second instance we get to the point that both these objects are actually same but with different alias.

More easy example is a story which all of you have heard several times that when a king asked a palmist to predict his future and he replied that “All your family members will die infront of you”, the king order to separate the palmist’s head from his body and when the same question is asked from other palmist, he replied that “You will get a longest life in your family”, and he was rewarded by the king.

You see, both answers were of same meaning but the perception of death is recorded in bad sense and the perception of longer life is recorded in good sense in our minds.

Now let’s come to the point for which I discussed the “perception” theory and its impact. I received a hand bill few days back regarding opening of a “Day Care” center for senior citizen of our community. As a normal person, first response was from my subconscious which was Holy Crap .. one more cultural adoption from west, where we admit old parents to day care center so their interference and interaction is as less as possible in our daily lives. With the same bad perception I discussed this news with another person and same was his response in first instance, as our discussion went on both of us realized that what is the problem if a day care center is started … man this is good, at least there will be some activity for senior citizens and we discussed different advantages of having a day care center for senior citizens of our community, thus both of us got convinced that this is a good happening.

But then I asked myself, why my first response was negative and why I got convinced after discussion? Simple answer, my perception for the word “Day care center” is recorded as negativity in my mind and my subconscious told me that enrolling my parents in a day care center means that I am not willing to keep them with me. I got confused with my reaction so to solve this perception issue I decided to do an experiment. I asked one of my very good friend who is an educated and experienced person a question, “Why don’t you register your mother’s name in senior citizen’s day care center?” as expected I got a very rude reply that “She is not a burden on me”. Then when I asked same question with few more people, amazingly all of them replied in same manner. Then I changed my question “Why don’t you register your mother’s name in senior citizen’s activity club?” to my highest surprise this time all the answers were very positive, people asked whereabouts and details of that club and showed interest in it.

Then I concluded that in our society the word “Day care” is not recorded in a good sense and a negative reaction is shown by the society whereas activity forum/club is taken in a positive sense and people are interested to chase this word.

I am happy that a group of people thought and worked for senior citizens of our community and I pray from depth of my heart for their success and inshallah they will be rewarded heavily in this world and hereafter. Just one simple request which I hope they will take as a positive suggestion, please introduce this center with the name of activity club for senior citizen instead of day care center. This will just cost a reprint of broachers and bill boards but I guarantee you, with this one change you will get very positive response from society and this guarantee is based on a proven experiment.

Thanks and may Allah bless all the participants and organizers of this center.

Well-done!