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Today's
Meditation:
Doesn't
it all come down to our perspective, the ways we see
things? While there are situations of which even the
people with the brightest perspectives can have a hard time seeing the
positive side (sicknesses, crimes, etc.), Chesterton here is
talking about inconveniences, not tragedies. We all
face inconveniences every day, and it's pretty much our
choice how we respond to them.
Getting
stuck in a traffic jam can be a terrible inconvenience, for
example, but it can also be a very good time to get some
quiet time to yourself. And it may make you late for
work, but it's not like one can get fired for something so
far out of one's own control. When I get stuck because
of construction, I like to put on some good music and relax
and enjoy the time I have to myself.
A
good friend lost his job of many years a few years
ago. Rather than bemoan his fate, he and his wife
packed up and moved out west, bought themselves a nice place
to live, and are enjoying their new lives immensely right
now, never suffering through the harsh New England winters
any more. A huge inconvenience was turned into the
opportunity of a lifetime for them.
A
terrible new boss can be the catalyst to change jobs to
something that you like better. A new highway being
built right next to your back yard could be the sign you
need to move to a new neighborhood or even a new town.
It's all in our perspective, the way we see life and the
things that life gives to us. Obstacle or
opportunity? It's up to us, isn't it?
Of
course, this brings up another question: how many of
the "opportunities" that come our way are actually
obstacles?
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