Front page in today’s local paper: Painful grimace on a 21 year old’s face as he sits in his wheelchair with a physical therapist on each side of him conducting arm resistance exercises. Paralyzed since a motocross accident in 2006, he affectionately calls one of his therapists his “torturer.”
And what was I feeling sorry for myself about just prior to picking up the paper? Did you wake up today feeling sorry for yourself? This young man will never be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of handwriting out the monthly bills, walking into the dentist’s office, or changing an unexpected flat tire when you are already late to work.
It is all a matter of perspective.
No matter how bad we think we have it, there is always someone experiencing more pain. Why is it we so quickly forget that fact as we wallow in the depths of our own personal despair?
The gurus of all times encourage us to embrace our hardships, for without the contrast we would not create or appreciate the more pleasurable aspects of life.
Og Mandino says it this way: “I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.”
What if, just for today, when you catch yourself whining about something, you turn it around into gratitude and appreciation for the experience? What soul growth is happening as a result of the trauma? How will you feel and how will your day, your life, unfold if you come from a place of joy and appreciation for all that happens today?
Cancer survivor Lance Armstrong advises us, “Time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into
a life of action, and purpose.”
You and I have the power to appreciate everything about this beautiful day. It’s all a matter of perspective.
