Different Perspectives

Recently, Ellen and I were looking at our birdfeeder in the back while sitting at the kitchen table. A woodpecker landed and caught my attention. Ellen couldn’t see it because, for her, the railing of the porch was blocking that particular spot. It hit me that her perspective was different due to her height and where she was sitting at the table. It made me wonder what she sees that I don’t.

Similarly, I recently hiked a trail starting from the opposite side from where I normally walked it. That morning, the sun was shining brightly, highlighting the contour of the landscape around me. Reversing my direction, it felt like I was on a totally different path. Again, I was struck by how circumstances and orientation changed my view and experience.  

Perspective depends greatly on setting, timing, and position.  The way we see things individually is important. However, with nearly 8 billion people on the planet, our own line of sight is just an infinitesimal fraction of the whole world. For us to better understand and connect with each other, we must take time to consider other people’s point of view. Essentially, we never have the full picture on our own. If we are truly trying to do things right, it is imperative to seek a broader perspective.