Context makes meaning.

A large dog comes up to you in the street. Your reaction will be determined by factors like:

• The expression on the dog’s face
• Whether or not the dog is wagging its tail
• Your past experiences with dogs
• Whether or not you like dogs
• Whether or not you know this dog

If this is your neighbor’s dog and you love dogs, you will likely be quite pleased. If the dog is growling and you are terrified of dogs, you might be more likely to run away!

All of our experiences are interpreted by the lens through which we perceive things. This lens is shaped by our experiences, beliefs, values, current state, environment, and almost any other factor you can think of. This lens will quite likely be different for each situation.