Perspective

A few years ago I was living in Southern Ontario. One Sunday after church, on a whim I decided to drive an hour away to visit my parents. (Mum always had chocolate:) On my way back home, I got stuck in one of the renowned Highway 401 traffic jams. It got me thinking about perspective as I watched the firemen put out a truck fire. I took the opportunity to do some people-watching, which happens to be one of my favourite things to do. Everyone in the car in front of me immediately pulled out their cell phones. All five of them. To my right, which happened to be the shoulder, cars started whizzing by, driven by impatient people who were desperately trying to escape the inevitable. Up a little to the left, a man was standing in the middle of the traffic with a pair of binoculars. Who carries binoculars in their car?! Dog owners with dogs in tow came out of multiple cars. They walked their dogs and talked to other dog owners. Funny I didn't see any cats. MacDonalds was about 50 meters away, so those who like to put scary things into their bodies headed for the golden arches. Behind me on the right, two girls started a full-on gymnastic session complete with a long succession of back flips. Very impressive. Any my favourite, a dad playing catch with his little boy. Half an hour later, the traffic started moving and everyone got back into their cars and drove away.

I started thinking about how all of these people were presented with the exact same scenario: stuck on the 401 on a beautiful summer Sunday afternoon. However, each perspective was a bit different. Some fought it and became agitated while others made the most of the situation and turned it into an opportunity.

That's how life happens. We get thrown a bunch of curve balls and how we deal with it depends on our perspective. Is it a problem or a challenge? Is it a difficult situation or a solution waiting to happen? Some people are naturally bent towards negative thinking. I used to be one of them so I know that people can learn to change their perspective. One of my favourite Bible verses is Psalm 84:6 - As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [NIV] The Valley of Baca is also called the Valley of Weeping. Been there. Perspective. Gather up the tears and turn them into a spring. Refreshing. Giving life to others. It doesn't just happen. You gotta make it happen. Sing until you've got a pool of living water.