The Dress and perspective
Is it black + blue or white + gold, two combos and one question that has been asked around the world. This apparel turned us into a world of Sherlocks umming and arring over what colour the dress actually was. One picture that resembled two totally different color schemes and had people on both sides adamant about what their eyes perceived. Finally after much deliberation the case was closed and black + blue prevailed.
Some theories suggest there were actually two pictures of the dress circulating and others will argue that it’s down to the scientific process of how the brain interprets information. The real issue doesn’t die a death with the revealing of the actual dress colour, it lies in the way people perceived the picture of the dress. The filter, the surroundings, and the mood all played a part in what duo people saw.
That same principle can be applied to our very own lives. Perspective is a truth that goes all the way back to the glass half full or half empty concept, though the state of the glass stays the same, two people can view the contents in a completely different way. We often use those same standards to measure our life.
After getting married I boarded a plane and landed in a country completely foreign to everything I knew. Sure the people spoke the same language (in a sense), but the culture and climate were different to what I had known for the other 25 years of my life. I was faced with a choice, wallow in self-pity and severely suffer with homesickness or see this an opportunity to breathe love into a new city and use my story in a wider way to inspire others.
We can easily view a trial as a tragedy or we can put on our perspective glasses and view that same trial as the very thing propelling us forward, another step closer to our dreams. We have the choice to wear glasses of grace or to view the actions of others with a tainted vantage point. We can get to Friday and feel as though we have nothing left to give, or when can relish in the fact that we accomplished many great things in the week gone by. We can view each new morning as a struggle or as a beautiful gift and another opportunity to live out our purpose. Example after example and scenario after scenario brings us back to the very concept as the shade of #TheDress. The filter we put on the events of our life alter what is actually happening into two very different themes.
We have the power to change the perspective of a situation in an instance. How refreshing is that? We can choose to gander at the gloom or look past the ‘now’ and see how we are being positioned for the future. We were born with the power to seek a higher counsel and granted grace to mend the gap between circumstance and vision.
Is it easy to apply this filter day after day and trial after trial? Absolutely not, it’s down right hard. The world is nasty and the lack of momentum can be discouraging but take heart dear sister because your purpose that was planted inside of you WILL prevail. Your dreams will come to pass. Character through suffering gives the world hope. Perspective can cause failure to feel like it follows you or success to appear abundant.
Keeping perspectives in check can make the world of a difference to not only yourself, but to others, it can cause you to empathize, to mend and remind you to keep going at the moments when you want to throw in the towel. The beautiful thing about this very concept is that there’s no right or wrong. The way you view things through your lens will be different from others going through a very similar situation. What you know, the experiences you’ve endured, and the faith you have will all alter the way you handle and view a situation. That’s where opportunity comes into play. Your perspective can be the very thing that can inspire + encourage others on their journey.
Looks like this dress scenario just took on a different meaning hey?
Photo credit : Feature image