Perspective: The Key to a Joy-filled Life

I've been writing this blog for about six years now, so I'm fairly sure I've mentioned the topic of perspective before, but I was reminded of it again this past week in several different ways, and it, I think, has become the impetus for me to live a radically different life.

I used to say the sectret of a happy life is contentment. I still believe that to be true.

I also used to say the sectret to a happy life is thankfulness. I also still believe that to be true.

To be honest, "contentment and thankfulness" have a force that drives them, and that force is... perspective.

We have heard it said that comparison can often be the thief of joy, however, comparison viewed through a very different lens, a lens of perspective, can stoke the fires of appreciation for the life we have.

There is an ancient proverb (I'm sure you've probably heard it) that goes something like this: "I once complained of having no shoes until I met a man who had no feet."

Perspective.

I mentioned encountering several different scenarios this week that got me thinking about this thing called "perspective." I thought I'd share a couple of them with you.

The first happened last Sunday at church. I was standing with one of our elderly members after service. She and I were just making small talk, chatting about the weather, and she was inquiring about my kids and their families when another woman came over and joined the conversation. This sweet, elderly lady proceeded to ask the other woman about how her daughter was doing, a woman we have been praying for in her battle with cancer.

As this other woman gave the report on her daughter's health and all she was having to go through, the elderly woman looked over at me and said, "We really don't have anything to complain about, do we?"

Thing is... this woman had plenty to complain about had she chosen to do so. There is a great deal of difficulty she is experiencing in her current situation... in so many ways. I would not betray her confidence to divulge anything that is private for her, but suffice it to say that more than just her physical constraints are causing her issues. Yet, here she stood... words of perspective shaping her outlook.

The second thing that brought perspective to mind was something I saw on an Instagram account I follow. The woman who owned and authored this account shared a video of her living room space while describing the challenges of navigating and decorating the long, narrow room. She referenced a "weird bump-out" behind the couch, the odd placement of doors leading from the area, and the fact that the front door opened directly into the living room.

She was asking for feedback from her followers about suggestions they might have for improving her space.

There actually weren't many comments about how the room could be improved. The vast majority of the comments I saw at the time (there may have been more suggestions still coming) were complimentary of her space and of her style. I've also thought her space was really cute and inviting, and I have enjoyed following her account.

There were even several who said they loved her room and wished they had her decorating talent becuase everything was so perfect.

Again... perspective.

Sometimes when we view life through the eyes of another it can cause a perspective shift. We are awakened to an alternate reality of a life, of challenges very different from our own. We suddenly realize how blessed we are, and that changes us; we gain thankfulness.

Sometimes that perspective shift comes from having our own life viewed through the lens of someone else's eyes. To have someone outside ourselves remind us of the blessings we might have glossed over, the gifts to which we may have become immune... changes us; we become more content.

This is the truth I have realized this past week. We are good liars.

We can convince ourselves pretty easily if we want to that life is difficult, that we have it bad, and sometimes we do, but no matter how bad we think we have it, there is always someone who has it worse.

We can create a sense of dissatisfaction with what we have, in what we possess, by always coveting something else, but no matter how we feel about our homes, our lives, our physical appearance, etc. there is always someone out there who would love to have the life we have.

This is why I have morphed from saying that the sectret to a joy-filled life is thankfulness and/or contentment and now espouse perspective. It all comes down to this: because even though thankfulness and contentment do indeed fill our lives with joy, the thing that shapes, strengthens, solidifies, and translates those intangibles into real, life changing action is nothing more or less than the beauty of...

perspective.