When I was a teenager my
favorite band was Kutless. I saw them like 3 times in concert, worked back
stage for them at this huge Christian music festival, and still have this
sticker that all the members of the band signed for me stuck to my guitar case
(that’s been buried in my closet for YEARS….sad I know). I loved their lyrics and they had a song for
every mood I was in. It was like I could go on because Kutless was there for
me! No, not really, but you get the picture. There was, however, this one song I
generally skipped over and never really understood until just a few years ago: Perspectives.
What I really got caught
up on was this part in the song where a little boy sees all of these people
walking around in red coats, but his Mom sees them in white. That blew my mind! What? I thought, I REALLY
don’t understand. They’re WEARING RED!!! You can’t change that!
I didn’t really mean to
prove a point to my older self, but I have!
The song goes on to ask:
what if we removed ourselves from the situation we are in? What if we stepped
back and saw things from a different angle? Basically: we’d find freedom. If we just moved, even a tiny bit from where our
feet are so firmly planted, we’d have an entirely different perspective; like the difference between
what it looks like looking up from the bottom of a mountain than being on the
top of a mountain and looking down.
The other day I had
dinner with a friend and she was listening to me talk through a particular situation
in my life. (She is one of the best
listeners I know, by the way). Anyhow
she suggested I draw the situation out.
I thought she was crazy at first.
Then she shared how she had utilized the tool, so I decided to give it a
shot.
I really felt kind of
silly doing the exercise, but it brought so much freedom! And now, instead of
feeling like I’m at the bottom of a mountain looking up, I feel like I’m on top
of that mountain looking down. I finally
feel like I have some sort of relief like I can and will get through it.
I also think about this
idea regarding perspectives in the context of the world. How many of us consider what is going on
outside of our own little bubbles? Not that I’m discrediting what you have
walked through, Lord knows life is challenging! BUT, we see folks get so upset
at baristas when their $4 latte isn’t perfect when that same $4 could pay for a
child’s life in a distant country. I
wonder if in that moment, if that person had had the latter thought, if their
reaction would have changed? Would they have just let things go just a bit more
easily?
I really, truly believe
that taking the time to view circumstances from other perspectives can change
the world. From our current challenging
situations to issues that don’t necessarily “hit home” but affect other
precious human beings on the other side of the world. I know that most of us aren’t going to stop
what we are doing, sell our belongings, move to another country, and give our
lives to that cause, but we could at least open up our hearts to helping each
other. Even if that is just to understand others better by seeing things though
a different set of lenses.
We are all very capable
of making a difference. In the words of Anne Frank, “How wonderful it is that
nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Change
your perspective and change the world, and YES it is that simple!
Perspectives, I believe
encourage, or should encourage, one to have compassion. I think certain perspectives make us sad,
upset, frustrated, etc. but the next thought should be what you’re going to do
with that. Let’s help each other to change lives and bring perspective and
awareness to those around us so that TOGETHER we might all make greater impacts
on this world.
I think that Michael
Jackson’s song Man in the Mirror resonates
well with this theme and is also a super empowering song. I especially love how
it is so honest and frank, but at the same time so simple. Add it to your playlist! “I’m gonna make a
change!” You’re gonna make a change!
