It's all about how you look at it...

Perspective. It makes a difference. I've been thinking about perspective recently in different contexts - work, home, marriage, spiritual. There are many common cliches that address perspective.

"The grass is always greener", "Seeing the glass half full", "Get a bird's eye view", "Hindsight is 20/20" - well you get the picture. 

Perspective changes from person to person. The way I view the ants marching by the hundreds through my house is very different than the way my husband sees it. My opinion of how fast to drive and how close to follow definitely changes depending on who's driving! And of course if you speak to my sons, their perspective is completely different.

Bright Angel Trail

The way I perceive things also changes depending on when or how I look at them. When we took our little jaunt down Bright Angel Trail descending 800 feet or so into the Grand Canyon, I enjoyed the view. It was gorgeous with varying colors that changed as the shadows moved.  When we started back up the trail, my eyes and thoughts were fixed on the trail in front of me and only occasionally did I look up to see how much farther I had to go. It was discouraging to see the canyon walls looming above. But once I made it back to the top, I looked back down at where I once had been and stood amazed that I had trudged along that zig zagged trail and made it to where I was standing. 

Later when I looked at the photo that my son, Zach took of me as I hiked up the trail, I thought about my life journey. When I am in the midst of the details of life, I forget that I really am making progress and that God is at work in my life. When I step back and take a look at where I've been and where I am now, I can see that there really is a difference. When I was climbing that trail, it seemed like it would go on forever, but once at the top, I could see how far I had really gone. It's the same in my life. Sometimes I feel like there is no progress, no growth, no difference, but then I think back to who I was 30 years ago,  and I know I have changed (and for the better). Even the way I handle situations or deal with people that hurt or anger me has changed significantly in the past 10 years, and that encourages me.


So to end this thought by mixing metaphors - just as the Colorado River and other natural forces have been eroding and shaping the Grand Canyon over the years, I believe God has been shaping me, smoothing some of the rough edges, and molding me into a grown up who is more like Jesus. 

The trail hasn't ended yet, and I don't know how much longer I have on this hike called life, but I want to make the best of it and enjoy the journey as I go, because you know, it's all about perspective.