Perspective

Last week, I posted a story about meeting a sweet elderly lady in the restroom of a Walmart store.  We shared a moment that I put on this blog.  Recently, a dear lady friend stopped me to say..."You have such amazing things happen to you.  This kind of thing never happens to me."  I smiled and told her I thought it probably happened to everybody.  When I look at a given situation, the way I have chosen to see the world around me is what changed it from an ordinary event to a "slap yer knee, that's funny" moment.

If I was meeting you for dinner that day I could have shared the story of the courtesy flush like this.

"I had to go to the bathroom at Walmart.  There was a woman in there really embarrassed by the sound and smell she was making.  I told her about the courtesy flush."

Then you would have ran right past that description never fully grasping the hilarity of the situation, how distressed she really was, or understanding the moment that two women shared in a public restroom.

But because I shared the story like I did...The Courtesy Flush it became the "amazing adventure" that my lady friend referred to.  It happened as I told it, but the WAY I shared it changed how my friends viewed it.  It went from being an ordinary trip to Walmart to a story that has given it's share of giggles.

During the active treatments of my cancer, I relied on my Rosey perspective to help me get through some horrid days.  Daddy used to tell me it was a gift to tell a good story.  It certainly became one for me when I had to deal with things that were too scary and too painful to deal with.  I just switched "my glasses" to a rosey hue and took another look.  It allowed me to see periods of humor and falling down laughter, to the sweet touching moments I would have never shared with strangers without these rosey glasses.

I have been in the process of transcribing my cancer day notes into their own blog and reliving those kinds of moments.  This story The Butt Cheek Boogie tells of an experience that had us laughing for days and even now I recall it with big self conscious grins.  However this Tests, Tests and more Tests tells of sweet, touching events and people who touched my life in profound ways on what was one of my scariest days at the beginning.  Sharing the events of your life allows you to give honor to all the Pipers, Kathleens, Chaplain Chucks, TJs and yes even rugged handsome Steve .

The next time you are faced with daunting task or a downright nasty one, step back and view it from a different perspective.  Is there a different way to see this, making it less scary?  Can you retell this story in a way that reflects who you are and who God thinks you are?  Can you share this event in a manner that will educate, edify and encourage?  Personally I love seeing the world through "Rosey"  glasses and fully embracing the Rosey within.