Tuesday, April 19, 2011

P is for Perspective

Quite often, if not always, things boil down to perspective—how we look at the person, the situation, the event, our surroundings, everything.  Take traffic and male other drivers.  Please.  Let’s say Mr. Neverlooks pulls out in front of me causing me to slam on my brakes and, after I’ve braked and my speed has been lowered to a crawl at best, he takes off and continues down the road at least five miles over the speed limit.  From my perspective he’s an idiot.  And I would love to smack him.  From his perspective…oh, who cares?  He’s an idiot and that’s a bad example. 
 


Let’s try an example from my MIL.  Her perspective was always positive.  It wasn’t a dreaded chore to wash dishes instead, it was great that one had dishes to wash.  Great attitude- especially for someone who never really did any housework to speak of.  She hated housework and just didn’t do it.  She was a Mary as opposed to a Martha, if you will, deeming life so much better sitting and writing or watching PBS or going to a poetry reading or the symphony.  Ok, so who’s going to disagree with that perspective?  Except, from my perspective, how does the house get: cleaned up?  Meals prepared?  Homework assisted?  Kids cleaned? Errands run?-- if one doesn't find a happy medium between their Mary and Martha?




How about the perspective of parents when their babies grow up and go out on their own?  Empty nest, empty hours, empty feelings all coupled with pride, excitement—the sweet lonesomes, if you will…But, from the perspective of the kids it’s excitement, nervousness, thrills, delights, the momanddadwhos?… 









And there’s yesterday afternoon when, right after his bath, Tucker went running outside after a squirrel RIGHT THROUGH THE TOPSOIL MOUND and I, just for a second, perceived having puppy stew for supper.  Instead, my perspective (after I may or may not have blessed out Hubs who has YET to do whatever it is he’s going to do with that mound of topsoil) was more along the lines of-‘so what, he’s a dog doing his doggie thang.’





Finally, this week, I could look at all the cleaning, straightening, tidying, washing, scrubbing, meal planning, shopping, blog posts for the A-Z challenge that I signed up for (please, next time, someone STOP me!), etc. that I have to do as a drudgery.  But I’m not.  From my perspective this means one thing:  EVERYONE is coming home for Easter weekend!  


This is the 15th day of the A-Z Blog Challenge for the month of April. And this thing is getting harder instead of easier...thankfully, we're in the second half!  I just might make it!


15 comments:

  1. Let me the first to say I totally agree with the blog challenge thing. I was gone last week, so I have a good excuse to drop it for the rest of the month, don't want to be a quitter, but a post a day is sometimes a little too much, though I do like the concept.

    Don't even get me started on bad drivers, they all moved in my neighborhood!

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  2. How exciting to be having all your loved ones home for Easter. That definitely makes all the scrubbing, cleaning etc. well worth the effort!

    As always, a great read!

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  3. Alessandra- I think I'm going to stay away from any challenges the month of May. And June. July...LOL

    Desiree-It sure does! I can hardly wait to see them! Thank you so much!

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  4. I strive to have your MIL's perspective!

    Bad drivers drive me nuts.

    A full house for Easter? Yeah!!!!

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  5. Betty- I try to have a good mix between her perspective and reality. LOL We have so many bad drivers around here that it's dangerous just to go to the grocery store!

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  6. Fun post! I need to be meal planning, scrubbing, and shopping...and here I sit reading blogs! Do you think I'm a Mary/Martha mix??? LOL

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  7. I confess to being much more Mary-inclined than Martha. Of course, Moms don't get to choose always. Love your perspective today.

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  8. So glad everyone is coming home for Easter. You will have a blast. We are all going to my daughters house, I think we will have around 27 people including her in laws. It will be so much fun seeing everyone. Hope I get some good pic's!

    Enjoy you family!

    Susan

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  9. I can't wait for the excitement of my son coming home from college! I'm going to miss him so much and I just know that his homecomings will be wonderful.

    Ha - puppy stew!!!

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  10. Kathy-I'm taking a break from all of it and getting ready to read some blogs myself! It's too hot to go outside and shop around here anyway. LOL

    Stephanie- True, we really don't. I try to be a good mix---still looking for that elusive happy medium though.

    Susan- I am too! I can hardly wait! Can't wait to see your pictures! Have a blast!

    Kaylen-Oh, I'm excited for you! This is going to be the best Easter, isn't it?! Yeah, the only thing that saved Tucker is that he's so darn cute! LOL

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  11. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! I bet you're really looking forward to it...and maybe you can enlist some of them to move that mound of dirt. But then what would cute little Tucker do for fun?? :-)

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  12. Judy-I can't wait for the groomer to get here tomorrow to I can pay her a ridiculous amount of money so Tucker can run out into the dirt while looking all spiffy. LOL

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  13. This A-Z challenge has been more than I was expecting but I'm determined to get thru the alphabet!

    I'm also an empty nester-for the most part : ) Hubs says its not officialt til they're off the payroll and we still have one in college. Your girls are lovely!

    I'm a glass half full girl. Almost always anyway : )

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  14. Love it. And it's so true. Oh Pam, I love your writings. I know I say that almost every day but I do.
    Take care and God Bless!!

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  15. I'm rollin' with laughter here. Yep, all drivers are idiots, that I agree.

    But the part that had me on the floor laughing so hard was Tucker and the Top Soil. I must add this little ditty that you sparked my memory with your story...we had a doxie. We lived just up the hill from my in-laws. They raised pigs for market. Our doxie LOVED running around when let loose...in the pig sties. Okay...I just got him captured and bathed him and had him smelling of lavender and shining...when Bud came home from work and let him outdoors...where does he go? But, down the hill, to the pig sties!!

    Guess who had to bathe him? Nope...not me!!!

    My Wednesday Post:
    Still Waters Run Deep

    Hope your day is going well for you.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
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