Perspective

As promised, my nephew Ryan sent a CD of his pictures of the 80th birthday party. And he had some very nice ones – much better than mine! (Thank you Ryan!)

But here’s the thing: I am barely 5’ 4” tall, and Ryan stands at least 6’ 8”. (Forgive me if I’ve actually ‘shorted’ you by several inches, Ryan – to me you look like 7 feet 20 inches or something!) Obviously he took a few of his pictures standing up – from his eye level perspective. Which is at the ceiling looking down; looking down at light fixtures and the tops of door frames, not to mention the tops of people’s heads. The perspective is peculiar to me. I had no idea the world could look like that. I am used to looking at people from straight on. From above they look slightly misshapen. And far away.

So today I am thinking about perspective – not so much regarding the literal view of the world, as in the difference between Ryan’s and mine – but the views that separate people and make them appear different to each other. The perspectives of age, position and attitude.

(I was reading an article yesterday about aging baby boomers who are, for various reasons, back in the ‘dating’ world. It described how the women, at least, are finally realizing that it should be OK that they don’t look like models or movie stars any longer. “Hey,” one said, “If I’m naked and smiling, shouldn’t that be enough?” Perspective.)

My view of the world – my perspective – has certainly changed over the 10 years I have been with Mark. I’ve seen more, done more, thought more, challenged more… and loosened up a lot. That’s a lot of changes for a person of my age. (Ahem.) A lot of ‘attitude adjustment.’ And with all of that, people look better to me – fascinating, more attractive, more appealing. Over the years I’ve learned how pointless, and damaging, it is to judge others – and how much more interesting it is to just marvel at their choices, their opinions, their attitudes.

Yet I know people (and know OF people) whose perspective hasn’t changed a bit over years of living. And who evidence no awareness that another’s perspective could be valid – or at the very least, could not possibly matter to them at all. The news is full of them – Muslims angry at cartoonists, athletes angry at referees, politicians angry at the press, Jesse Jackson angry at everyone. How could that be? How could you live a life that sure of everything?

Would that everyone could be a foot and a half taller, taking pictures of a world from a different view.