Corona Vision 2020
My daughters and I have been spending a lot of time out on our patio during quarantine. We love it. There has been a lot of thought, energy and time put into it recently. It is important to have a place that brings solace, joy and comfort during a time like COVID.
The other day, I sat out and for some reason I didn’t have that same comfort looking at The State Capitol building and the skyscrapers in downtown Denver, Colorado. I felt frustrated. I felt let down. For some reason it just didn’t hit quite the same way it normally does.
I sit in the same spot every morning with my tea, journal and book and I spend my evenings with my vices taking in the sunsets. Then I realized something. The problem was that I have been sitting in the same spot and making all of my decisions from one perspective. Seeing the world from the same point of view everyday. Granted I think it is the best seat on the patio but that does not matter if the view becomes stale or is devoid of joy.
I decided to move over to a different seat and look to the south rather than the north. Two months in the new place and I just noticed that I have never looked out this way for more than a second. What else am I not seeing?
As a parent you constantly have your head on a swivel. Look up videos of dads coming to the rescue for their kids and there is some amazing and funny content. Dad instincts that are on point. However, I can grow eyes in the back of my head but it means nothing if I don't have any perspective.
So I am asking myself, "what am I not seeing from the perspective of my children?" I am so focused on making sure they’re safe and healthy and learning that I forget that I need to see the world through their eyes.
I need to get down on their level and see things from three feet. Literally. It is important to get down on my knees more when I speak with them. I should look at what they are looking at from the angle they see the world. I need to put the effort into understanding their point of view. Even if it is a simple as taking 10 minutes to watch one of the TV shows they love.
What I found when I sat down at the other corner of the table was a wide open blue sky. There was a cumulonimbus cloud that looked like a spaceship taking off from the distant mountain range. I imagined it like something out of a science fiction movie.
The monolith ascended into space with countless imaginary souls on board. What an adventure I thought. The worlds and ideas of distant galaxies, the cosmos and the future. We will one day look back on the movies and stories like Star Wars and The Twilight Zone as science non-fiction. I mean, CoronaVirus feels like an episode of Black Mirror.
Taking in a new perspective gives rise to imagination, creativity and wonder. New ideas are generated and learning takes place. It doesn’t matter if it's the perspective of your kids, your friends or just yourself that needs adjusting. Conscientious efforts will yield results that won't disappoint.
Maybe it's a real physical perspective like moving from one seat to another. Maybe it's a mental one where you need to look at a problem differently or understand the way someone else is seeing a challenge and you can help. Perhaps it is more emotional or spiritual. Whatever it may be, there is another side to things. You won't see it if you maintain the same spot every day.
What would it be like to sit on the moon and look down at earth. Or would you be looking up at earth? Either way what a sight to see. The perspective would be life changing.
Oftentimes that is what life is all about. Finding those perspectives you never saw before and realizing what you’ve been missing. It could change everything about you. Change is a love-hate relationship. It all depends on what type of change it is.
COVID certainly has provided a change and maybe that's where the silver lining is. If I hadn’t had all these opportunities to be still and reflect during a time of quarantine then I wouldn’t have realized where my vision was off.
Our own internal paradigm shifts can be the catalyst for change in whatever area of life you care most about. The most profound moments in life have take place when you are out living life. I’m searching for those moments everywhere I go. It's a feeling that I chase, I call it adventure.
So go out and look at the sky upside down, go somewhere new, watch something backwards and listen to your gut and let it show you what you can learn from seeing the world from a different perspective. I call it Corona Vision and it's looking 2020.
