perspective

Sometimes we just need to see the world from a different angle. As I venture out to a daytrip to the mountains, I feel as if I could reach my hand and touch the tips so many miles away. Even though I know I can’t because of my rational thought, I am often very affected by forces I cannot see.

The aroma of fresh baked cookies stirs my senses in memories of after school treats; that conversation and laughter with friends drinking coffee and sharing stories and eating blueberry muffins and all the ways we interact with our world are real. But our puzzling personalities lead us to ask questions. Why are we suspicious when we could have the joy of curiosity? Why all the snap opinions when our mindset could be nonjudgmental? Why do we dissect details and camparingly catalogue experiences when we could have a new positive paradigm free of negative thoughts? Why do we sometimes slam the door of opportunity or let it quietly close when we could be moving in a whole new direction and experiencing new adventures?

There is the story about an older woman who cried all day. It wasn’t because of her livelihood, her family or her circumstances. She was just upset and worried about her two sons and how they were faring in the world. One of them sold umbrellas and so when it was sunny, she cried because she didn’t think he would do well with the business. Her other son sold vegetables and needed the sun, but when it rained, the plants were too sodden and the woman cried because she worried about him and his business too. One day, she met a wise man who told her to look at each scenario with a different lens. When it rained, think about the son selling umbrellas. He will do well. And when it’s sunny, remember the vegetable farmer son and know that his crops will thrive. We all have sunshine and rain in our lives. Nothing really changed in the sad woman’s life except her perspective. Perhaps we would do well to do the same.

“Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2