Perspective

Perspective is an interesting word meaning to have a specific point of view. We have perspective on many issues and situations in life but God has view. View means to have a full range of vision - simply put God sees it all.

Perspective. On the interstate the other morning four cars were lined up behind me resisting the urge to honk at such an early hour. They wanted me to speed up, cars blocked their path forward in the other two lanes. I had a different perspective in the situation and they lacked view. They could not see the highway patrol car ahead in the other lane. When they finally had their chance to pass, they broke away in the far lane and one by one as they gained perspective, they all slowed down.

Perspective. The new year will bring star gazing (ground level) to see who will be the famous and the beautiful's next main squeeze. The Kardashian saga will continue and the monthly menagerie of who wants to be George Clooney's photo op for the month will continue. It is the age of the "selfie" in more ways than one. The short sighted perspective of the here and now leads to a life long search for love and fulfillment and the end result is bankruptcy on the emotional and spiritual level. Both for those actually involved and those living vicariously through what is in reality nothing but smoke and mirrors. I have a very different perspective. I have spent the past thirty-six years with the love of my life and best friend. We will never have our hand impression in the side walk in Hollywood, jet-set around the globe (while, paradoxically, campaigning for global warming) or throw elaborate dinner parties with A-list guests. But we have and will continue to share an extraordinary journey through joys and sorrow, through times of plenty and times of want, and through times of celebrating and times of loss. The writer of Ecclesiastes calls this a "season for everything." The writer also calls the love of this life vanity if you never gain the view of God. This perspective of life is very "seasonal" it includes some of all of life that is tempered by constant community established in the marriage bond and shared through the extended family. This perspective causes one to experience the depth and fullness of life buoyed by the intense love and affection of one and only one other person. It is a view dimly, through a glass, as the Scripture declares of the intense focus of God's love. I have shared that perspective for thirty-six years and it eliminates me from "star-ground-gazing".

In an effort to gain "view" in this new year I leave you with the prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

"May it please the supreme and divine Goodness

to give us all abundant grace ever to know his most holy will

and to perfectly to fulfill it."

Before you go speeding around others in pursuit of happiness, this year gain some view and it may change your daily perspective on peace and happiness.