This proverb means that some things can be so close to us that we do not notice them. It is an invitation to humility and to always remain aware of our immediate surroundings. Just like the earlobe, which is a part of the body we cannot easily see without a mirror, there are often important elements in our life that we overlook due to lack of perspective. An equivalent proverb in English could be: ‘Out of sight, close to the heart’.