We sit on the shore of Lake Ontario and look out over the expansive blue. After a few minutes my husband points at vague outlines in the distance. “There’s Toronto,” he says. I squint and sure enough, I can see the buildings we walked among just a few days ago.
I’m struck by how different it feels here away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s like a completely new lake. I can see it differently now. And I realize what makes that possible works in other situations of our lives too.
Three ways to see things differently…
* Change in Place – If you need to glimpse something with new eyes, then literally change locations. Go to a coffee shop. Take a walk. Even get out of town for a day or week. Sometimes stepping away from the situation gives us the distance we need to view it clearly.
* Change in Pace – My husband and I went from a busy city to a serene park. Sometimes we need to slow down so that that we can pray, hear and process. Pull away from your schedule for a moment or a season.
* Change in Perspective – Sometimes even when the first two happen, we still feel stuck. In that case, we may need to see through someone else’s eyes. My husband did that for me on this trip as he described what he saw. For you it might be a friend, family member, counselor or anyone in your life you trust.
We drove back to the city the next day and as we crossed into Toronto I looked at the lake again. It was still the same but I was different. And that changed everything.
XO
P.S. Our talk about change today, reminded me of this canvas. And I would love to give one away to one of you! Leave a comment by Tuesday at midnight and you will be entered to win! Have a wonderful Monday!
