"Perspective"

Perspective.......it's an interesting word. Come to think of it, it is a very enigmatic word, hard to define. Reason being, the word itself has many different meanings, um well, depending on your “perspective”:

per·spec·tive

noun /pərˈspektiv/ perspectives, plural The art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point A picture drawn in such a way, esp. one appearing to enlarge or extend the actual space, or to give the effect of distance A view or prospect The relation of two figures in the same plane, such that pairs of corresponding points lie on concurrent lines, and corresponding lines meet in collinear points A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view True understanding of the relative importance of things; a sense of proportion An apparent spatial distribution in perceived sound

Now that you've read all of the definitions of perspective, my bent in this thread is more to the definitions of attitude and view point. It came to me the other day, as I was having a wonderful lunch with an old and dear friend, that we are in the perfect place in our lives, as we season to perfection, to have the best vantage point for perspective.

To have the best view of everything tangible around us, we would need to be on the crest of a hill. From that crest, we can see all around us. We can see the valleys and vistas we have traveled through. When we hike through the wilderness, we remember as we stand on that hill, the moments we were taken in awe of our surroundings. We recall the beauty of the tall trees, the sun streaming through the leaves and branches, making us feel small and protected. We think about the rocky ledge that we had to navigate to get to the wonderful views on the other side. We were scared, but resolute in our journey. We made it through and were rewarded for the perseverance by the beauty of it all. Then as we rest a bit, we look forward to the path we are about to take. We can see much in the distance, but it is somewhat obscure. The solid details are not clear, it is somewhat of a mystery. Oh we know the general direction we will travel, and we can see it a bit down the path, but around that first bend, we do not know from there. So, as you scan the horizon, you choose a path to follow, and you start down that hill, toward...........who really knows. That's the fun of it........

The perspective of which I speak, is being in the middle of our lives, the top of the hill as it were, and looking to where we have come and where we are about to go. From atop the crest, we can reflect on past and contemplate future.

Perspective is an enigmatic word, hard to define. Perspective changes as we change, as our knowledge base grows, as we weather the storm, or celebrate the victories of our lives, our perspective adjusts accordingly. Think about what you perceived as important when you were 20, 30, now, 50ish. Your conception of what meant the most to you has evolved, hasn't it? Once it was fashion, then it became commitment to build a life with someone, then it was protection for your children, home, and husband, then..........well, you can fill in the blanks from here. Our views on the world changed, our relationships changed, our opinions of our selves changed, sometimes to the good, sometimes not. This is almost a cocoon like transformation from then to now. We start as these crawling creatures barely able to see beyond our nose on the ground, to these wonderful winged beings who can soar above the earth to see and appreciate all the majesty around us.

So here we are, on the “top of the hill” of our lives. What an amazing place to be, and what a view!!! With all of the knowledge and knowing that we have accumulated in the journey this far, we can look back, as we stand on this hill, and be honored by our selves. Our resilience, our dedication, our perseverance to our commitments and goals. We have accomplished so much in our lives thus far. Really, take this moment to think about it, and when you have, you will feel a pride so profound in the knowing of the path you have traveled. So, with this pride, stand on the hill, in the bright sun, tilt your face to the sky and let the warmth sink into your soul. Open your arms and welcome all that the earth and your heart have to give, rejoice in all that is truly “You”. Give a little “Woo Hoo” if your being is free to do so. You have made it this far!!! Oh yes, to be sure, the road was winding at times. There were storms and much rain, sorrow, yes for sure. But, you are here, now, with all that you are, right here.

Now, look down that hill................Yes you can see the first bit of the path, but around that first bend, we do not know from there. But, what we do know, is in our perspective!This is the gift of time and knowing, of weathering the storm, and celebration. We have lived though so much and so many, that our perspective couldn't be any more fine tuned than it is right now. We have amassed a magnificent library of facts and experiences that will help us to choose the path and put clarity in our world that we just didn't have before. When you visit the stops along the path of your choosing now, you will see them and experience their gifts with a new found understanding. Traveling the path from this moment on, will be so much more fulfilling and rich, because we have perspective. We know what to fret about and what to let slide, we have been there and done that.......perspective. We know now which rocky ledges to wander on to, and which will just give us grief and sorrow if we should continue there.......perspective. We know now that just because the journey isn't mapped out specifically for us to see, we end up exactly where we are supposed to be...............perspective.

Gaining perspective is like moving through our lives, gathering pieces of the puzzle along the way. As we acquire more pieces, we hone the skills of looking at a situation with a multidimensional viewpoint. As more of the pieces fit, life begins to make sense. Not in the way that every good and bad thing that ever happens makes sense. But in the way that we can take a moment to ponder the situation in front of us, and be able to apply our knowledge, our puzzle pieces, and arrange them in a way that we now know is right to us. Our path may not be right for someone else, it is only right for us, and that is OK. Perspective is personal.

So, as I stand with you, on the crest of the hill, I look with you, back on the journey we all have taken to this place in our lives. We all stand here, with our puzzles pieces tucked securely in our hearts, and we look forward, down the path. We have the gift of the past, present, and future, and we have the perspective to make the most from it all. Oh what wonderful experiences lay before us, just around that first bend...................................