Miss Unobservant

You know that saying if it had been a snake it would’ve bit you? Well, I live in a world where, if that saying were actually true, I would have been bitten thousands of times by now. Yes, I have serious unobservant issues.

There are simple ways normal people go about reminding themselves of/to do things. Like, leaving what you need to take upstairs on the middle of the pathway up the stairs so you won’t forget it. Or, leaving a note in an obvious place to remind you to do something. Well, this would work for most people. I, on the other hand, step over the things on the middle of the stairs without a second thought as to what I’m doing, and my brain completely overlooks the notes in their obvious places. Even going as far as to place the notes on something as obvious as the doorknob to the front door does nothing to help me see them. For some reason, my brain automatically tells me to lift the note/stick it to something else and go about my business, all the while not even processing it was a note in the first place.

Frustratingly enough, my unobservant brain also kicks in when it comes to details- any details. You know the stereotypical husband who gets in hot water with his wife for not noticing she got a haircut? Yeah, that would be me and the kind of thing I’m talking about. While my brain might process that she looked different, I most likely wouldn’t even realize that it was due to a haircut. Got a new shirt? I might actually notice how pretty it is and say so. But don’t ask me (without looking at it) what color it is or what’s on it, because I most likely won’t know.

Now, let me just say how much I hate this. It’s not fun living life from such an unobservant viewpoint, not to mention how frustrating it can be not only for me, but also for my family and friends as well.

Fortunately, there are exceptions to my own unobservant tendencies. And very fortunately, most of those exceptions are when I’m interacting with other people and/or driving. My unobservant handicap comes in the form of visual things, so I’m fine when talking to people and interacting. Yes, I notice genders, heights, mannerisms, etc. But don’t ask me what color eyes you have. Yes, I fully notice the car beside me and know not to go into that lane. But don’t ask me what type of car {or even if it was a car, or a truck, or whatever} it was, because I most likely won’t know.

Luckily, I have the most awesome family and friends who know this about me and work around it. I’ve been trying to work on it- to notice things more- but it is slow going.

Do you have this type of issue? Or something similar? I’d love to hear your stories!

♥