"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” - Wayne Dyer
So often in our lives we get caught up in our own opinions on a certain topic or person and upon closer reflection come to realize that we were mistaken. We may come to a conclusion that is based mainly on our personal perception and is not supported by facts.
These past months of dealing with this "once in a life- time pandemic" COVID-19 has given us time to reflect and step back from our daily routines. At first, we were shocked at the severity of the illness caused by the virus. We were told to isolate and quarantine ourselves and our families. Instead of reaching out to others, we were asked to shut out the rest of the world. This was a terrible request and very strange to us.
Yet, as we started to look at things, our outlook started to change. Children spent more time at home, could play outside, help their parents on the farm and in the house. Fathers got some help mending fences, tidying farmyards, picking rocks and helping with chores. This was a good thing! Children were asked to do their school work at home under supervision. Parents could see first hand if their child was struggling in some subjects and where they excelled. Teachers were being more appreciated for the work they did every day at school! This was also a good thing!
Farmers were considered “essential workers” because the safe and reliable food supply needed to be maintained. Workers from Mexico and the Caribbean Islands were valued to do the manual labour that needed to be done in the fields. Since restaurants were closed people had to cook healthy meals at home for their families. This was also a good thing!
Church services were not allowed and friends and families were not able to gather. We came to the realization how important these community connections were and are grateful that some of the restrictions have been lifted. Now we value the time we can spend together much more than before. This is also a good thing!
The health care workers in the hospitals and clinics have been very hard at work keeping patients healthy and caring for those that are dying. We have come to value their dedication and tireless efforts even more since the start of this pandemic.
These past months have been difficult and upon first glance seemed very hard to bear. Yet, upon closer reflection we realize that there are some positive outcomes as well. Once we change the way we look at something, our perspective changes.
When you look at this picture do you see an old lady with a big nose and chin? Look again and you might see a young lady with a feather in her hair!
As our perspective changes, our outlook on what we see also may also change. What was considered inconvenient and overdone may actually be something positive.
How we choose to go through life is mostly within our control. We can have an optimistic outlook and see the good in people and situations or we can be pessimistic and only anticipate the negative things that may, or may not, happen! We cannot control what happens to us but we do have control over our reactions and opinions!