Perspectives …

I have been thinking about my last post. The one about perspective. I wrote that sitting in a different place in the room gave me a new look at familiar surroundings. I saw things I hadn’t noticed previously.

Since the post, I have repositioned all of my chairs. Sitting on the left side of the couch, instead of the right. Facing the water at dining table instead of the living room. At the back of the deck facing southwest instead of closer to the water with a more westerly view. In the shadow of the maple tree facing east on the water. And, I even repositioned my bed from the north wall to the east.

All week, I have seen the property differently. I see work that needs to be done that I never noticed before. A large branch in the maple tree that needs to be removed before it snaps off. With it gone, I will have a better view looking west on the water. The footings beneath the platform near the water needs to be shored up and covered with rocks so that it is not as noticeable. And, when reading in bed last night, I noticed the east wall needs painting near the ceiling.

I have never noticed these things before. But it is not all bad. I have views to enjoy I have never had before.  Where I position myself influences what I see.

Last week, I read a novel, set in the pacific northwest, my part of the world. The story wove an intricate who-done-it tale that integrated traditional indigenous native culture with a contemporary plot to assassinate a modern political dignitary. It was an easy read set in a familiar setting. It was like sitting in a chair with a familiar view.

This week, I am reading another who-done-it set in Scotland. Despite having a Scottish heritage, I have never been there, and quite frankly, know little about the culture other than what I learned in grade school. That’s a shame. This is a more difficult read. I can’t relate to the environment, and the language confuses me sometimes. It is like sitting in a repositioned chair, looking at things for the first time.

The more we look at the unfamiliar, and beyond the obvious, the more we grow. The more we read, travel, cycle new roads, and meet new people, the more we challenge ourselves. The more I sit in different places, the more I see.