A Fresh Perspective on Point of View

By Shaunda Kennedy Wenger

P.O.V. Contributing Writer

 

I’m definitely not the sort of person that has been immune to “down days” throughout my life. I get my dose of the good with the bad just like anyone else — sometimes faring better than others,and sometimes feeling like I’m barely getting by.  
 

But lately, I feel like something different is happening around me.  My perspective on life, on situations, has begun to change, and I’m not sure what spurred this new outlook.


Did the far too many days of sunshine and no rain in my great state of Utah finally take effect on the melatonin in my brain? Or did my perpetual practice of trying to always look on the bright side and shrug off the bad finally start to take hold and become more a part of me rather and apart from me?
 

I’m not sure, but I’ll share some examples of recent “uncommon” experiences.
 

The first has to do with winter. We all know winter — well, those of us that live in the more northern part of the hemisphere know winter. Usually I watch the approach of winter with dread. I hate the shorter days, the colder nights. I despise driving at night. And don’t like feeling like I’m locked inside because it's too chilly and dark to go out. But not this year.  For some reason, as I’ve been finding myself driving home in the enveloping veil of darkness at the early hour of seven pm, rather than being bothered I’ve felt more akin to being wrapped up in a blanket. A cozy one, tucking me in from a long day of hard work. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t felt like this about nighttime hours for as long as I can remember (although nighttime and I might have been perfectly chummy when I was a kid.)
 

And then there was the basil episode. For those of you that are dying to know how I ruined $400 worth of this precious herbal plant, it didn’t take too much effort.  And it left me without a bountiful supply of pesto, which I‘d been planning on making. Did I stomp my feet? Growl at my stupidity? Kick the cat? Nope, instead I laughed, and then a funny thought trickled through my head: Well, I guess this means I’ll be coming up with a new recipe for pesto. One that doesn’t use basil.  And what’s more, I was even kind of excited about the idea. (I’m thinking sage will be a good way to go.)
 

Am I on meds? No.
 

Have I had a windfall of good fortune? No. (No lotto yet. I don’t even play the lotto.)
 

Have I gotten that pay raise I’ve been hoping for? I’m not sure, but if I don’t get it then I’ve decided I’m fine with thinking that next time I want to take a day off, I won’t feel so guilty about it (and living life without guilt is a good thing!)

 

My point is, we all have good days and bad days.
 

I’m not one of those lucky people whom haven’t seen bad days. But I’ve learned that I can control my perspective, my outlook, and my attachment to situations that are occurring around me (but not from within me). And the good news, is we all can. With practice – and it does take practice – we can slowly learn to let go of the expectations that have been ingrained and that often lead to disappointment. With practice we can live through anything with a fresh perspective.