I Turn Around and Step Back

I find it funny how my life has such beneficial twists and turns. I sat beside a stranger at a live music show a few months ago. We chatted and learned about some overlaps in our lives, providing a common basis for sharing a bit about ourselves.

One thread led us to learn of our mutual interest in photography. We decided that we might enjoy an outing at a nearby provincial park to take pictures. That adventure occurred just recently.

Shortly into our walk along the boardwalk in the morning sun, my new friend pointed out the difference the light made between facing the sun and standing with our backs to the sun. I had my back to the sun and saw a marsh full of yet-to-be bullrushes—a broad expanse of beige. This was very uninteresting content.

However, when we turned around to face the sun, I noticed many individual bullrushes left over from last year. Each one was outlined in a white border, giving depth and a focus of interest to the pictures we took.

Further along the walkway, after taking close-ups of birds, ducks, and geese, I saw early signs of spring, just a week or so away from greening the whole area. Then I took a step back. The boardwalk meandered its way through the marsh, casting intricate patterns of wooden decking, railings and shadows. It gave an entirely different perspective to what I was seeing.

There are dots to join here with my life and perspectives.

Just as a magician is skilled at misdirection, I try to be aware that the focus of those around me often doesn’t tell the whole story. By stepping back, I see a very different unfolding. For example, during a media frenzy, I gain sympathy for the celebrity who is performing with that level of scrutiny. There is no place to hide at that moment.

I know it is a love-hate relationship, often accepted as the price of fame and fortune. But when I shift my thinking, just a little bit, I can almost imagine what it must be like for anyone who looks different to live in that environment 24/7. It adds a burden that I don’t even realize I don’t have to carry.

Please give this a bit of a think.  Has there been a situation when you turned around or stepped back and gained new meaning about something in your life? Do you consciously look at things through a macro lens as well as a micro lens?

I’m curious about your thoughts. Please share your bit of a think in the comment section below. It will come to me for approval before posting.

Photo by Yuri Vasconcelos on Unsplash

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glenn.walmsley@icloud.com