PERSPECTIVE

    Last night as I watched the Olympics a huge explosion split the air, frightening me. Then I remembered a story on the news a week earlier about people being startled by a sonic boom and I became ambivalent to the sound. But shouting outside my window brought my fear back so I looked out to make sure none of my neighbors were burning up and found that they were shouting because they did not know what the sound was either. Finally, I went back to watching the Olympics but continued to be curious and decided to watch the news to see if there had been an explosion nearby. It turned out to be the space shuttle, Endeavor, entering the atmosphere for its landing at the Kennedy Space Center. How awesome! Upon hearing this news I went from curiosity to joy in a matter of seconds for I had encountered another Florida perk, the space shuttle coming home.

    The whole experience reminded me of how often what we think is one thing usually is something all together different, especially when we look at it spiritually. Knowing that a sonic boom had occurred the week before quelled my fears last night. Similarly believing in a benevolent God quells my fears every day. For knowing that life is ultimately good helps me change my perspective about all my experiences. A great example is when my husband died. My first reaction was grief at losing him and the belief in its terrible tragedy. Then I remembered that God is always good and was reminded of how miserable my husband was the last few months of his life which changed my perspective to one of relief for him. Now, four and half years later I continue to change my perspective for as time passes I see the valuable lessons I have learned from his death and how much I love my new life. The key here is knowing life is always good, therefore, continuing to change my perspective to find those silver linings. As I look for the positives in everything situation, I enjoy my experiences more and more and know that in truth, there is meaning to everything. As with the shuttle experience last night I started with fright, moved to ambivalence, returned to fright, went on to curiosity before reaching the ultimate positive experience, joy. Ain't life grand!