Have you ever had a bad day? Like a really bad day, maybe you were late to work. You didn’t get a good night of sleep because the baby was crying all night. You had an argument with your wife before you ran out the door stuffing your face with a granola bar. Then you got stuck behind a slowpoke going 15 under the speed limit with no opportunity to pass. On and on it goes. It’s just one of those days.
A bad day.
At the end of the very bad day. You become moody and sullen and think the world is against you. You start to despair, when the phone rings.
It is your friend. He just lost his wife. It was cancer. He has kids, a family to take care of. With no wife at his side and no mother for their children. He is devastated.
Suddenly your problems don’t seem like problems anymore. It is like someone slaps you across the face and says, “Hey, snap out of it! You’ve got so much to be thankful for! Choose to focus on that!” and you do.
You realize that your problems are minuscule compared to your friend. This is perspective.
Perspective is so powerful, it literally has the power to change your life.
This video is an inspiring story of perspective. A (now) 108 year old holocaust survivor talking about the beauty of life. Enjoy.
Question: Has perspective ever slapped you across the face?
Mine’s been getting slapped quite often lately. A couple of co-workers have lost their jobs. the past year my dad has been in and out of the hospital, etc… Things aren’t as bad as they seem for me and the realization that my dad won’t be with us forever keeps getting brought up. My perspective needs to change from focusing on me to others.
Joe,
I’m sorry to hear that. That’s a great point that our perspective needs to change from ourselves to others.
What are the health concerns your dad is struggling with?
Joe,
Wow. Praying you find new-found strength, joy and hope with each day. And you have time to treasure them with your Father!
Wow. Wow. Wow. I loved the video and this post. Thank you.
I have a draft post on perspective, so it’s especially meaningful. Our bug exterminator told us several weeks back after I asked about his kids that one had autism. Our ears perked up and we wanted to know more, of course. He commenced to tell me his son (now 12) wasn’t expected to live a week. His skull and brain required surgery at 1-day old and has gone through numerous surgeries and therapies for that – not to mention he has severe autism. After we closed our open-wide jaws, he just told us “Every day is a gift. We never thought we’d have him this long….”
And how many times I have held a personal pity party for the pithy things I’ve thought were struggles…Ouch. A slap from Perspective.
Michael,
Glad you enjoyed it! Would love to read your post on perspective as well 🙂
Wow, oh my word. What a heart-wrenching-story! My heart goes out to that family! “Every day is a gift” …Truly, soooo true!
I am sure that really hit home with you guys!
Thanks for writing that!
That would be so incredibly hard, Michael, but in that case they could choose to spend that time crying over what they are expecting to lose or enjoying the gift that they have been given. Nothing on this earth is going to last forever, so we should learn to choose the latter more. It’s not always easy, but it’s best.
Great post Claudia – perspective is everything. It can be your gauge for success or failure. You decide whether it will a defining moment of revelation or a party of one in self-pity that keeps you bound.
Cindy,
I really is! A rainy day can be looked at as a ‘wash’ or a new day of opportunity! I love perspective cause it kick me in the butt! 😉
Most definitely Claudia. And I try to remember to look at the “big picture” when those annoying, frustrating, silly bad day things happen. I actually always think about my grandmother – my Giagia – the Greek name for grandmother. She was amazing. Came here at 16 – her brothers arranged a marriage for her. She got pregnant with twins – and fell while scrubbing the floor and lost the twins. Went on to have 3 children. Her husband diet at age 33 when her youngest was less than 2 years old. Never went to school so couldn’t read or write and spoke broken English. Cleaned office buildings at night and supported her kids – even sending one son through college. She lived with us from the day I was born and I am named for her. I miss her every day. When I’m having a challenging day – I try and think about her – it’s nothing compared to all she did – and she always had a smile on her face! Great video.
Ann,
I love that story of your Giagia!!! What a special memory and great inspiration for you! Was she able to meet your children?
Wow! That’s amazing! That really does put into perspective how we take things for granted! This also reminds me of how Stephen Covey talks in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People about the man that he met that had misbehaving kids who had just lost their mother. Seeing things from another person’s point of view is always helpful to help us get a reality check on our own lives. Life really is a blessing, and as bad as we might think things are sometimes, someone else has it a lot worse!
Ryan, I’ve thought of that story Stephen Covey tells often when I want to put judgement on a person or situation. Truth is, we have NO IDEA what the other person is going through and why they are doing what they do. It’s not an excuse, but looking with another lens. Noone has ever seen a motive.
I remember that story too, Ryan. You’ve got it exactly right, life really is a blessing! I want to focus on all the blessings God has given me, all the things I have to be grateful for, not my problems and frustrations.
This also reminds me of Victor Frankl (sp?) and how the choices that he made impacted not only him, but many others, as well. And, well said!
WOW!!!!
Everything is a present. So true!
Puts everything…EVERYTHING…in perspective.
Yeah, doesn’t it, Kent? Suddenly my problems don’t seem so bad!
Incredible! Very beautiful…. Everything IS a Present! That is the message of all messages, bottom line. Thanks for sharing this…
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