Skip to main content

Perspective from 40,000 Feet

Was that coffee and breakfast pastry really worth $16.42?

Yes. Yes it was.

With a 5:29 a.m. flight, I needed it. Nevermind the captive-audience airport prices. I’m caffeinated and my blood-sugar is normalized. It was worth every penny.

The roaring hum of the jet engine outside my window creates a soothing ambiance for reflection. The in-flight Wi-Fi doesn’t seem to have enough bandwidth for the planeful of passengers using it, so I’m closing the reports and turning to my creative outlet – writing.

It’s funny how a little altitude can give you such perspective. It’s refreshing to get a birds-eye view of things as you fly over. Cities, rivers, mountains – even the Grand Canyon – seem so small from this height.

Isn’t that just like our lives? Our mountains can seem so big when we’re on the ground – in the midst of our troubles – looking up at the enormous tasks that lie ahead. But when we’re above the clouds, over the mist and the fog, a clear perspective can change everything.

We’ve all been there. We’ve all faced mountains that seem insurmountable. The invoice from the collections agency. The call from the principal’s office. The bad news from the doctor. Troubles that would almost crush us from the pressure.

I would submit that this concept of retreating to the skies should play a major role in our daily living. Our problems take on new meaning when we look at them from 40,000 feet.

Take yourself out of the situation for a moment. Put yourself in another person’s shoes. Think about the big picture. What does it look like from a high level? Where are you really headed?

It’s so easy to get bogged down in the details – or even just the day-to-day monotony. Get up. Get the kids ready for school. Get to work. Perform. Excel. Achieve. Get the kids from school. Get the kids to soccer. Be everything. To everyone. Repeat.

What does it mean in the long run?

You must understand that the little choices you make in your relationships and your daily interactions make a huge impact in the grand scheme of things. You’re touching people’s lives. Every moment. And that’s of eternal significance. Don’t waste it.

Success is determined by your character and relationships. Be faithful in the little things.

Taking time to refocus on your priorities gives a renewed sense of direction and purpose. Step aside for a moment. Pray. Realize that the circumstances in which you find yourself today will not always be the same.

You’ll get through this. 

When all else fails, look up. Because it’s in those moments that you’ll find the strength you need to look forward.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First World Problems

Matthew 6:25-27, 31-34   “Therefore I tell you, do not worry   about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?   Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.   Are you not much more valuable than they?   Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’   For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.   But seek first his kingdom   and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Last week I was driving to work, sitting in traffic on US 29, when a lady going 50-60 mp...
1 comment
Read more

4 Traits of Highly-Engaging Social Media Posts

Digital media consumption is at an all-time high. Millenials no longer rely on traditional and mainstream media producers for the latest news and information. Social media is literally revolutionizing the way people do research and engage with the world. When consumers are formulating opinions about a brand, they rely on peer-to-peer reviews more than high-budget advertising. And they can go directly to social media to get a feel for a brand's true colors before investing in its products or services. With so much information competing for attention on social media, how can you develop a keen strategy for reaching consumers with relevant content? Here are 4 tips: Be succinct.  You have exactly 2 seconds to engage your audience. Make your point and make it fast. Save the fine print and flowery details for later. Use imagery.  Social media posts with photos capture more engagement than posts without pictures. Your photos should be relevant to your content, and prefe...
1 comment
Read more

As It Turns Out, Nobody's Got It Together: 6 Reasons It's Okay to Admit Failure

We've all had those moments.  Those times when, despite your best efforts, you just fall flat on your face.  And then you dust off and pretend it never happened.  Why?  Because, for whatever reason, it seems taboo to admit it happened.   Failure is a touchy subject.  Nobody wants to admit failure.  More importantly, nobody wants to accept failure.  You have a drive within to achieve better results, and most bosses, family members, friends, and significant others affirm that drive by expecting better results from you.  They certainly don't want to accept failure, so neither should you.  Right? It's funny how society seems to have formed this image of pseudo-perfection in daily living.  We put on a good face for the company.  And the neighbors.  And the church.  And the social networks.  When it all adds up, you're left with a self-image that appears, to the general public, to be perfection.  Only ...
Post a Comment
Read more