Blind spot

A blind spot has been defined thus:

1. Anatomy- the small, circular, optically insensitive region in the retina where fibers of the optic nerve emerge from the eyeball. It has no rods or cones

2. A part of an area that cannot be directly observed under existing circumstances

3. An area where radio reception is weak or nonexistent

4. A subject about which one is markedly ignorant or prejudiced

Points 2 and 4 in this list interest me.  Why?  Because we all have a blind spot.

This can be in many forms, most predominantly; some have a blind spot to what their partner is really like.  I recently found out that one of my best friends was with someone who hit her on a regular basis.  He was in her blind spot (or more aptly, WAS her blind spot); she couldn't see what he was really like.  Even more frustratingly, she probably did know, even though she didn't want to believe it; that he was bad news.  She put him in her blind spot.  Partly because she loved him, partly because she didn't want to believe the relationship was over.

This blind spot syndrome is prevalent in many relationships, not just between partners, but also families and friends.

Now I'm no psychologist, but I see this blind spot in people every day.  How? Because I've had this blind spot too.  Looking back at relationships (certain ones in particular stand out) I can see flaws and faults in previous lovers that I hadn't even considered when I was with them.  Some faults I'd even viewed as a cute quirk.  This is not to say that they have gargantuan faults; they are normal people. By design they have faults.  Nor does it mean my relationships were a waste of time, they made both parties what we are today.  What I am trying to convey however; is that their bad habits or character defects were a blind spot to me and mine were to them.  Purely and simply, it is love.  Love creates and nourishes the blind spot. 

It is whether the blind spot is good for the person or not that is the key question.

  

Character Meredith Grey sums it up best in a Greys Anatomy episode monologue:

'Many people don't know that the human eye
has a blind spot in its field of vision.
There is a part of the world that we are literally blind to

The problem is, sometimes our blind spots shield us
from things that really shouldn't be ignored'