'coz i'm learning more than just look. i learn to see.

you know how at every stage of your life, you start of with the confidence that you know a lot already? Then at the end of every stage, you realised how pathetically little you know. Then you begin your new stage again with the same belief again (never learning), then you realised otherwise again. 

 

Here I use the term stage rather loosely actually. It could be any relationship, new attempts at something in life, new beginnings, new decades (like 20s, 30s, 40s), new job etc.

What is it at the end of every stage that brought about the realization? I don't speak for other people. But mostly for myself, it is the time and effort spent and having nothing to show for at the end of the day. Nothing tangible, no good feelings about it or towards myself. Yes, indeed, there are times when I do feel murderous, towards myself mostly.

There is a saying, that a trained woodsman can see the tiger amongst the forest, while the ignorant traveller merely thinks “oh, nothing but trees and flowers here”.

I'm the ignorant traveller at the beginning of every new stage. Then, only with experience and a lot of mistakes and time, perhaps at the end of it, I may gain the eye of the trained woodsman. If I may be so lucky. I like this sentence - “You see, but you don't know where to look”. How true. How horribly and ignorantly true.

A common tread i hear from my friends is that I get more particular as I get older. Clearly they are being kind. Substitute 'particular' for 'harsh', the statement holds true as well. I wouldn't want to defend that. It is true anyway. The question is not whether I am more particular. The correct question to ask if why am I more particular now? Ask the wrong question, not only would you get the wrong answer, it also suggest that you are approaching it wrongly as well. It is very telling, if anyone cares to look actually.

Little things matter. Irregardless of what “nitpicking” comments others may throw your way. Not only do little things matter, they are very telling too. It tells me much more about you than you can imagine. A thoughtless comment, a mindful gesture, a suitable gift, lateness ...

unfortunately folks nowadays can brush such things off easily.

I can too. But I brush off more than just these “things”.

I will brush the entire person off to another category.

From “friends”, to “people i know”.

There is a distinction. Take my word for it. 
and I continue learning where to look and what to see.