Perspective is Everything

My plane landed in Toronto, Ontario Canada and the captain informed us of the 38 degrees fahrenheit weather outside. I had just spent a week in Costa Rica with my granddaughter and a close friend. The weather there was 100 degrees the day we departed. Having another 6 1/2 hour journey home I decided to stay in the area with family to acclimatize myself. You see I live in the True North where all the days are short and our winters are long. I knew the weather would be changing soon because we were at peak season for the beautiful fall colors two weeks before I left. Having rested my intuition was pulling at me to leave now before the snow came in. I prepared myself as best as one can, to drive 6 1/2 hours by myself and I left with a positive outlook. I listened to a few podcasts, stopped for needed breaks and felt grateful for the few people who were on the highway at the time. The farther I drove, the more the scenery reached out and grabbed me. I love that island, that rockface, that rest area! More importantly, I loved the trees. I was witnessing the end of the Carolina Forest and welcoming my beautiful Boreal Forest. The scenery became my eye candy. The universe was blessing me today and I acknowledged that! Before I realized it I was safely home, as I expected.

Once home I felt a sense of peace pour over me. I really did miss it. I love travelling but I’m beginning to love being at home just as much. It’s quiet here, it’s my nest where all I love and covet lie. Before falling to sleep I was thinking, this is my grounding spot, where I am balanced and nurtured by the sky, lake and trees. This is home. After a restful night I woke refreshed, I opened my bedroom curtains and this is what I saw.

Our first snow of 2023 fell overnight. Silently shocked, not ready to deal with snow I began to panic. The clouds in the distance told the story of an all-day snow fall. Where are the shovels, salt, boots, winter coats? I haven’t unpacked them yet! I immediately began taking pictures and sending them out to family & friends. Two responses came back. The first one “Yuk” the second one “It’s beautiful” Then I remembered it is all about perception. It is not about our reactions to life’s curve balls it is how we respond to them. I took a deep breath and I chose to respond instead of react. I then appreciated the beauty unfolding, for hours, all day, piling up and I searched for a shovel and cleared my decks & steps. I then sat down and wrote this article to remind you. It is your perspective that creates your day. It is your responses that build the experiences you will encounter. It is remembering you are in control of you!

As I teeter on the edge of reacting from my emotions, I am reminded to respond instead out of a grateful heart, whether my curve balls are positive or negative they are my curve balls to transform so that all things work for my good benefit.

Thank you, Tribe, for following my journey!

Love Jacqueline