Spatial Perspective

I love the ocean.

When I see the immensity of the water with the boundless distance of blue I am reminded at how frail, small, and utterly dependent I am.

I love that.

My shoulders relax, my mind wanders, my breath slows, my joy grows.

The ocean gives me renewed spatial perspective. I realize my world actually is quite small compared with the rest of the world. My complaints seem irrelevant - does it really matter that there are a few too many cars in front of me slowing me down to my destination? No, not really.

Understanding my place and space and the positive affect I hope to have means so much more than my complaints, which usually are fruitless. Sure, I want to be justified in my complaint, but perhaps I should leave that justification more to the Creator. My shoulders might relax in my humility, just like at the ocean, when instead of complaining, I take joy in the joy I have: my wife, my children, my friends and relationships that do matter. That would be nice.

This map shows the size of Grand Rapids compared to the sprawl of Houston, Texas. So often I am ignorant of others; of their needs, of their place, of their world I know not. Millions live within those polygons represented here. Each has a hurt, a joy, a secret, a love. Today, take the opportunity to tell those you love, that you do indeed love them & smile at strangers too. Limit your complaints and increase your joy.

Go visit the nearest ocean for a while too.