What If You’re Seeing It Wrong?

While at my grandparents', my grandmother would often let me watch a movie. I would look at her collection, but more often than not, it was to find a specific movie, Men in Black.

It was not a movie I should have liked. I didn’t like scary movies or scary scenes, due to plenty of recurring nightmares, and MIB definitely has its fair share. However, there was something that pulled me in.

The action was great—what boy doesn’t want to see a spaceship get shot down and crash land? But there was something deeper.

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At the time, I couldn’t explain what it was. I loved the action and the humor. Agent J and K play well off each other and always make me laugh. However, certain scenes and events lingered with me.

The Archillian prince, protecting a galaxy, tells J how to prevent war. His dying breaths stated that the galaxy is on Orion's Belt.

That moment in the movie feels like a triumph—they are that much closer to finding the galaxy. This constellation was a triumph for me, and became a reminder of my grandmother after she passed away. However, if you look in the night sky, you will not see a galaxy on Orion’s Belt. There are only three stars.

This becomes a low moment when J and K feel out of answers—until another alien tells them the truth.

The world isn’t as we perceive it to be.

A galaxy, a vast collection of stars, can be contained in a marble or jewel—something we would consider exceptionally small.

That was the scene, that lesson, that lingered with me for years.

We don’t always see reality as it truly is.
And most of us live as if we do.

Reflecting on the movie more, I could see this in Agent J. He was brand new to MIB—quick to judge and quick to act. He is still learning and moves on impulse. J consistently demonstrates this through his actions—and their consequences. I’ve made that same mistake more times than I’d like to admit. It has led to mistaken assumptions and problems of my own creation.

This is juxtaposed with K, who is calm and collected. He has the experience and wisdom of a well-seasoned agent. He takes time to contemplate the clues around him, picking up small details that J misses in his haste. K often makes the right read and decision. While he is rarely caught off guard, he handles those moments with grace and ease.

While J sees the world as he wants to see it, K has learned to see the world for how it really is.

Growing up, we acquire certain assumptions about the world. They can be exceptionally useful for navigating our lives. However, some can be detrimental. They can ruin our ability to judge clearly. The key is determining what to keep and what to leave behind.

Men in Black points to something simple: learn to see reality for what it truly is, not just how you want to see it.

This is a challenging lesson to learn. It takes honesty and humility to recognize our incorrect assumptions. However, the reward is the freedom to see reality with clear eyes.

This Week’s Challenge

During this week, slow down and pay attention to your reactions.

Where are you jumping to conclusions?
Where are you assuming you understand the situation without looking closer?

Before you act, pause. Look again.

You may not be seeing things as clearly as you think.

Next Week

What happens when you walk away from the life you were meant to live?

Agent K tried it—and it didn’t give him what he expected.

Forge Ahead

Anvil: the place of formation.
Arrow: the mission we’re sent on.

The world needs more men formed in virtue. Forward this to a brother who’s ready to grow.

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