PERSPECTIVE

It was a gray and gloomy day by my account. The sun was hidden beneath the clouds. The wind was blustery as it caused the trees to sway to and fro. Dry leaves swirled across the yard from one side to the other. The wind chimes rang loudly and constant. I was bummed from the start. The weather forecast had said sunny with temps in the 70's.

She was freshly awake from a good night's sleep, ready to charge forth into the day. As she approached the wall of French doors that look into the yard, she asked "Can I see outside?" I told her yes. She greeted the day with her bright smile that is oh so her and exclaimed.... "Oh Mimi! It's a BEAUTIFUL day!"

Perspective.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I saw gray skies. She saw beauty.

Our attitude colors every situation we approach....from the weather to life and death matters. Some can find a silver lining in any cloud. Others cannot see it when the gleam of the silver is blinding their eyes! Perspective.

It reminds me of a story I read once of two patients sharing a room in a hospital for an extended stay. The one who was the most ill was in a bed distant from the window. So the man closest to the window each day would describe to his roommate what he saw. He described a lovely park with flowers around a fountain and a pretty lady walking a cute little dog. Another day he talked of the warmth of the sunshine on his face and how blue the sky was. Each day he painted a picture for the ill man of the world outside his window. Then suddenly without warning he was gone. The man who had been so ill asked the nurse to move him closer to the window. He wanted to gaze upon the beautiful scenery he had only heard about up til now. It would make him feel closer to the friend he had suddenly lost. As the nurse wheeled him to the window, he was stunned! There was nothing outside the window but a brick wall...no view at all. No park, no flowers, no fountain. One could scarcely see the sky. Puzzled, he turned to the nurse and said, "I don't understand. He described everything so perfectly that he saw." The nurse was equally puzzled. "Well, that is truly odd. You see, he was blind."

As you face your day today, what is YOUR perspective?


"From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord shall be praised!" Psalm 113: 3