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What's Your View? (For The Optimists of the World)

Do you guys remember those 3D viewfinders from back in the day? I forget what cartoon images mine had but I was recently at a job interview for an online media company and the images that they had in their old school viewfinders were their stylish, fashionable products; they have a fashion division. With a simple click, the view changed and brought me to another fun image of clothes, shoes and fun imagery. It was obviously customized to what they wanted their audience to see. This concept comes to mind now as I meditate on the word 'view'.  

We have the power to change our view, we too can customize them. Let your thoughts be your guide, let it change the view from one beautiful image to another. Put it this way, we have the choice to watch a horror film or an action packed film and they both will alter our view for a moment (if not a lifetime...1, 2, Freddy's coming for you). Was that just me?

We can make the choice to see the sun set as a great work of majesty to behold or we can see it as our day coming to an end and start thinking about tomorrow's to do list. Doesn't the former sound much more relaxing and pleasing to the eye? In photography, digital or otherwise, when you zoom out, you're able to see the bigger picture. You're able to see all of it come together versus just seeing one image before you--you see many. 

Let's say we see an image of a woman's face with tears in her eyes to start off, but when we zoom out then it becomes a woman carrying her baby boy in her left arm while her right hand is on her baby bump with a sign above her head that reads "IT'S A GIRL". Now, the full image of the woman with tears in her eyes has been revealed; she's crying tears of joy. Sigh of relief, it wasn't as bad as our pessimistic mind would have us believe. Let's make the choice to zoom out.

When we're hiking and we're atop a mountain and we take a moment to stop and take in the view below, we feel invincible. We feel unstoppable. Something about that perspective, that view, that elevation, that allows you to clear your mind and you're able to hear the silent whisper, "It's going to be alright." Looking out of the window while 30,000 feet in the air also brings that calming feeling and nothing in your life has changed. The issues are still there, the bills are stacking up, the illness is still ailing your body, the confusion is still there and yet the one thing that has changed is your view. 

Perhaps you don't have the luxury of taking an exotic trip to Fiji, or going hiking soon because your schedule is jam packed or any of those things that can surely take your eyes off of temporary problems, well let me suggest to you that you can still change your view. It begins with your thoughts. As they say, happiness is a choice. You can choose to see the light at the end of the tunnel, see the silver lining, see God working everything out for good, see the good in that goodbye, see the joy and opportunity that a new day brings or you can choose to focus your view on the negative and what the world feeds you but who wants to do that, right?

To make this personal, I am going through a trying time as I write but I am not defeated. I've always been the optimist and that's not going to change because of circumstances; they're just temporary. "God is not a man that he should lie" (Numbers 23:19) therefore all that He is purposing to do with me and through me will come to pass. I can look through the rearview mirror of my life and see how it has all come together and it always does and I have faith that it always will. While I am not 30,000 feet above ground, that is still my current view. I choose to see clear blue skies, the heavens, perhaps some minor turbulence, throw a beautiful sunset in the mix and there I am -- with a clear mind, choosing happiness and joy. Who else likes this view from the top?

Glory to God. 


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