#zander olson

Yesterday evening I finished a book, The Reluctant Empress, by Brigitte Hamann (hence my absence from blogging). The book is a biography of sorts of Empress Sissi of Austria who reigned with her husband, Franz Josef in the late 19th century over the Austro-Hungarian empire. I highly recommend it.

The thing about the story of Sissi that captivated me was not her beauty and riches, or even her difficult life, but the so simple reality that perspective motivates action. And of course, perspective is at heart an individual experience.

Empress Sissi saw much. Beauty, sorrow, constant change, and through her life she famously stuck to her own way. I admit that initially I found she turned me a bit sour, I saw such a wasted talent... It was not until I saw the photo above, that my perspective changed. Often we need imagery to unlock some truth. What dawned on me today as I sat staring at this photograph, was her unwavering confidence. By force of will, she captured experience for herself, what she saw was her's alone. Her tenacity and passion to keep to her own way was remarkable.

I am accustomed to expanding my perspective, even changing it, by listening to friends, family and colleagues offer their opinions and views; often I search out opposing ideas to illuminate any flaw in what I see. This approach is reasonable after all. But today I found Empress Sissi's resolve and unwavering loyalty to her own mind refreshing. Her commitment to personal sight inspired me, not to champion my perspective to the detriment of all others, but to accept it. For exactly what it is. Mine alone.

Sissi, it can be argued, blocked out others' vision out at a high cost; perhaps even at the cost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, she was after all the "reluctant" Empress, wishing for herself a different life. Regardless, I am grateful to her, for her excess has at the very least, reminded me the precious nature of my own "view of things."

Untitled (Cader) 2008