Perspective

In re-reading Emerson's Essay on Nature this morning, a sentence stuck out as if it had flashing lights "We know nothing rightly, for want of perspective."

My mind began surveying my perspectives. I am an earthling, so I have a perspective from being based here and not somewhere else in the vastness. I am an American, so I have a uniquely American perspective, even though I've traveled and have a more expanded perspective than those who have not gone to the corners of the earth. I was born into a particular family with its biases and perspectives. I was raised a Methodist and then Presbyterian with their biases and then went off on a quest to discover Truth, which has given me a wide array of perspectives. I have been an educator and a clergywoman, each giving me more perspectives. I've had spiritual experiences which have blown apart many boxes in my life and opened me to cosmic perspectives. I am creative in all I do, so outside of the lines is my way. I have many more, but you get the idea I'm sure.

So, I look at life through Marlene colored glasses (see that chapter in my forgiveness book).I see through my experiences, decisions, and perspectives in a unique way - different than others with different ingredients in their perspectives.

It seems to me that the more expanded our perspective, the more we know rightly. The more narrow our perspective, the less likely we are to know rightly.

One of Einstein's stories popped into my mind just now. Imagine you lived your life in a cabin surrounded by dense trees and thought this to be all there was. Then somehow you got through the trees and to the hilltop. Now you had the valley, the view beyond, but also the cabin with its trees. Your world expanded for you. It was always there, but you didn't know it until you expanded your perspective.

I challenge you to look at your perspectives and begin to expand them. Scary, exciting, challenging, fun, wonderful. Go for it.