Shifting Views

Life lessons reveal themselves in such surprising ways. Recently I had horizontal blinds installed in my dining room to replace the existing vertical ones. I gave no thought to how the new view from the windows would change so radically. Everything I saw now was different, the angle, the width, the distance and even the height depending on how I consciously tilted the blinds...more open or closed, raising the blind higher or keeping it low. I could see more of what was in front of my house, a continuity and flow, without the view being chopped up and distorted by a vertical blind. I was surprised to notice I felt more connected to the world outside. At the same time, the space inside felt larger and looked brighter. I was so fascinated with this new scene I just sat down at the dining room table so I could take in what was in front of my eyes.

While sitting there I realized that life was giving me a gift. It was presenting me with an unanticipated opportunity to learn something about myself. I wondered what could happen if I purposefully looked at relationships, events, conversations and tasks from a different point of view. I think it's easy to get stuck seeing ourselves, others and the world one way. It takes courage, humility and vulnerability to be willing to change views. I wonder how my attitude would change if I approached each day being open to the possibility there is another view that is wanting to be revealed? I'll see as I put this new behavior into practice.