The 4-Inch View

Last month I was mounting a picture frame on the wall.

I had two objectives: 

1. Mount it securely
2. Make it level to the floor

The frame was relatively large, 2 feet by 3 feet, and the destination was high off the ground.  In order to tinker with it I was forced to stand on a bench and stay right up close to it, my face less than 4 inches away.  It seemed like my nose was nearly pressed against the glass.  For easy reach, I had a pencil tucked behind my ear, and my pockets were filled with the tools I needed.

In my arsenal of tools was a level, a small bar containing liquid and an air bubble that reliably indicates when the bar is horizontal and when it’s crooked. 

I used the level to get the frame mounted and parallel to the floor, then took a glance at the result.  I remember my first reaction: That can’t be right!  From my awkward, close-up vantage point, the frame appeared crooked.

It was only when I was able to step back and look from the across the room that I realized Oh, it is aligned properly.

When we’re super close to the details, it can be hard to see what the thing really looks like.

If you’re in the middle of a project or conversation, and things just aren't making sense, it might be time to take a few steps back, and see what you notice from there.