Change of perspective

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic that began in 2020, being asked to stay at home to stay safe posed no hardship for me, a self-proclaimed homebody.  This did mean that my life became even more still.  As I complied with the shelter in place orders, my visits with my seniors at Faith Hospice and leisurely strolls through local thrift stores ceased.  The joys of tutoring a beautiful woman for her GED also abruptly ended.  I quickly began to enjoy the comfort of my home in new ways. Planting a wild flower garden in my front yard enhanced my days and nights in magical ways even more than ever before.  Nestling in the comfort of my home was a breeze for me.

On leisurely days, I often move about my home enjoying each space of the sanctuary for my life that I have made.  Sitting in the bright natural light of my guest room, I enjoy reading and taking in the energy of the most recent guests.   I savor the space where my children stay when they visit, the love that Dianna and Christian bring on their stays, and the youthful energy of Chris who is now beginning his university studies on line all the way from China.  

One afternoon as I moved from room to room, I rearranged furniture, paintings and memorabilia.  In a short time, my entire environment had changed and felt fresh and renewed.  The most profound change was also the smallest and what originally felt like the least significant change.  I moved two chairs from front and center of my living room window toward the side and angled one chair forty-five degrees. Wow! That gave me a whole new perspective of my home and the outdoors.    As I scanned my open space, I felt a new sense of comfort from my new seating arrangement.  Nestled in the corner was cozy reading space.  This my chair turned ever so slightly, I could enjoy my morning tea and the host of life awakening in my front yard.   

I can now watch the cardinals arrive first to partake in the morning gathering, followed by the sparrows and the blue jays. When the large black birds arrive, the front yard clears except for the squirrels who remain daunted by very little in these early morning hours.  

On one cold morning, I watched as my neighbor cleared the frost from the car windows and started the car to warm it.  A few moments later, he returned to the house and his wife came out, got in the car and drove away.  From where I sat I observed a lovely gesture of kindness and love. 

A slight change of perspective and a whole new world emerged from my own front window.  A subtle small change in my view opened my eyes to see my mornings in a whole new way.   This awareness does cause me to wonder how every part of life might look a little different, perhaps a little brighter, more joyful if I simply change my perspective even the slightest. 

Blessings,

Rev. Karen