Perspective……keep it all in perspective. This is something that has been etched in my brain and heart from the mouth of Frank Laval, Owner of the Solar Hotel in Paris France (http://www.solarhotel.fr/en/) I am certain that Frank, as well as the rest of us environmentally aware folks, are happy about the Climate Change Agreement. After all, it may not be perfect, but it is certainly a matter of perspective and better than nothing at all.
Perspective has been on my mind today. How we view things, places, people, beliefs. In the Cambridge English Dictionary, perspective is defined as a particular way of considering something. While this is a very broad definition, it encompasses that small word which opens the door to perspective – HOW.
HOW is it that the world seems to be a very angry place right now?
HOW is it that people are speaking of things that we thought were put in the past?
HOW is it that people seem to think that misdeeds can be validated…to some…and all will be okay?
HOW is it that being mindful is not considered the norm? Manners remembered or practiced???
HOW can we allow others to say words that intentionally hurt or bully?
HOW have we allowed the world to change US???
Perspective is HOW. That happy, happy, joy, joy mentality that I still and will continue to carry within, has been stolen from some and denied by others. HOW did we allow this to happen??? Growing up, becoming non-flexible in our pursuit of “perfect happiness” created pressure and undue stress. Sad, so sad but true. Each one of us has to figure out who or what made our perspective change. Each one of us also has the capability to change our perspective, to fit who we are today.
Last week was the busiest that I have been with events in quite a while. So busy that I did not really have time to connect, spend any quality time with myself or my dog as everything had to be done within a “reasonable time”. I sat in my Studio the entire weekend, creating succulent plantings as takeaways for a Corporate event. I was calm, it was peaceful, my creative juices were flowing and I was truly enjoying the moment. Time did not matter and I was at peace. I seized every second of every minute and truly enjoyed the experience.
Monday came. All that calm went right out the window as I drove to work, anticipating what a week it was going to be. It was going to be a ridiculously busy week, I prepared for this week mentally since returning from France, I wanted my event to be perfect, I wanted the events I had to attend to be fruitful as I networked and I had to proofread two book reviews that I had written and submit them on time…..oh, I also had to show up to work on time. Friday after the events of the week were all over, I was totally zapped. All I could do was be quiet. The worse part of it was I did not get to venture into my garden at all last week.
My garden, the place I venture into daily – no matter the weather, no matter the time of the day or evening. It is what I do to center myself. As adults, we do things so that our lives are “as perfect as possible”, in our minds eye. What a silly way to live LIFE. My self-conceived perception…everything has to go smoothly, there should be no complaints and be all has to be as close to perfect as possible….oh the pains of thinking like an adult. I prefer to no dismiss and not accept this mindset…it does not work for me.
On this beautiful day, join me in having a different perspective on things. Enjoy the rain, be a little late for work sometimes, have a walking meeting…in a park, laugh when things might not be perfectly executed, take on a childlike amazement of all things, travel and most importantly, find the beauty in all things. I love me better when I have this perspective…try it sometimes…especially NOW!
(P.S. – Turn off the TV….listen to some music..re-discover reading…there is so much beauty and joy that surrounds us, there is no need to embrace another person’s perspective of what THEY think we need to know)
Sharing……..
Teri
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