It's All About Perspective

Back at one of my favorite spots, the Los Angeles Zoo. Perspective is something that we often don't put much thought into, but it so importantly shapes our outlook on and interpretation of life and the world around us. By altering ones perspective one alters his or her outlook and demeanor, but it can go either way. What can go up can also go down, our perspective can downshift or upgrade depending on which perspective we allow ourselves to look through. 

Standing there at the zoo I looked up and heard the waterfall before I saw it. I love waterfalls, any moving water at all really. So relaxing, so beautiful, so alive. It took me a couple of minutes to realize what I was really looking at. Standing there on top of the rock outcrop was a beautiful bird that I believe was from Africa. The colors on it were so bright and vivid, especially contrasted with the black of so many of its feathers. I also noticed that right next to me was a telescope to help better view the birds and animals there on top of the rock and in the surrounding areas. I laughed to myself. What a great metaphor. Using the tools around me that I hadn't taken the time to see, I could have seen the bird up close as soon as I arrived at the spot. I tend to get consumed though and forget about everything else. I tend to get lost in certain things. I become so enthralled by something or someone that I don't even see the rest of the world happening all around. It's moments like those that we have to stretch and get up, get moving. Look for the telescopes around you, the things that will help give you perspective. The things that will help open your eyes to the world around you and truly see. So often we get caught up in the beauty and excitement of something new or something we love and we miss the fact that there are so many other beautiful and amazing things out there. Why limit ourselves to just one when the world is vast and full of wonder?