brains are weird

I continue to find the human body more and more interesting. My relationship with God aside, I have a tough time buying into evolution. The intricacies of the body are just too great for me to do anything but chuck this theory as a legitimate explanation of what I see in the mirror. Every time I see the inner workings of the eye, or muscle structure of a leg, or heart, basically anything I learned in 5th grade science, I am amazed. Truly amazed. The complexity and balance and perfection of it all astounds me.

And then there is the brain. Woooeeee. Take a look at the picture below. Specifically boxes A and B.


Now get this. They are the same color. True. They are exactly the same shade of gray. How confusing is that? Check the gray line covering both squares below. My brain tries to believe the line changes color but I am assured it does not.


Didn't mean to go here with this, but I have recently begun to remember how much I enjoy and appreciate art and its creator. There are times (many recently) I am astounded. Whether it is nature or man made, beauty is coming to life for me again. A desire is blossoming in me that would attempt to capture and explore more of what I see. Even some of what I think in a physical manifestation. Just this morning, early, I realized how much I miss by always living through the same hours day after day. There are sounds and smells and sights I often don't see because I'm asleep. I see a simple beauty that sings in the stillness. If there has ever been anything that has called me to wake up early, this is one of the most seductive sirens I've heard.

So here, as I was looking into the explanation of these pictures by the designer at MIT, I was delighted with the crossover I was seeing. His explanation and my experience of the Creator's world found common ground. I feel like the LORD is revealing light and dark in me. And judgement. So what does this explanation shout out to me?

The first trick is based on local contrast. In shadow or not, a check that is lighter than its neighboring checks is probably lighter than average, and vice versa. In the figure, the light check in shadow is surrounded by darker checks. Thus, even though the check is physically dark, it is light when compared to its neighbors. The dark checks outside the shadow, conversely, are surrounded by lighter checks, so they look dark by comparison.

Do I play the comparison game? Yep. Certainly not proud of it, but I certainly do it.

And then this. I don't know that there's much for me to add.

As with many so-called illusions, this effect really demonstrates the success rather than the failure of the visual system. The visual system is not very good at being a physical light meter, but that is not its purpose. The important task is to break the image information down into meaningful components, and thereby perceive the nature of the objects in view.

My eyes are only as good as what the LORD reveals to me. I apologize for the continued use of the word "amazed" but I am. I am amazed at how He pulls from the stuff I see everyday to lead me where he wants me to go.

I am mystified at how this world is so fantastically connected. Father, keep showing me the good stuff. Back up the truck. I do love it.