Unexpected Perspective

Perspective….After all, it is the whole basis of this blog.  Sometimes I find the best perspective in the most unusual places.

 

On Mother’s Day (2013) we took my mom into the ER for pneumonia and bronchitis….not exactly the ideal mother’s day…Three days later we took her back and she had to be admitted into the hospital because she was only getting worse. 

 

As I was sitting with my mom last night at the hospital waiting for all of the admission stuff to be taken care of I said half-jokingly, “Luckily, I only have good memories of hospitals.  Don’t ruin that for me, okay mom?” 

 

I think for most people hospitals drum up some sort of strong emotion either positive or negative or possibly somewhere in between.  Despite the loss I have experienced in my life….my grandma (I was really too young to know about it), my Grandpa (who passed away of cancer and spent his final days in our home with us) and my own father….I have somehow escaped the darkness that often surrounds hospitals.  As I was sitting there with my mom, my only association was hospitals and babies…I could still imagine me as a new my cuddled up with Asher and Nolan and trying to figure out how to fit us all in the same bed and more recently, our one quiet night with Ellie at the hospital. 

 

It reminded me again of the decision I made not to go to my dad as he lay lifeless in the hospital bed…He was in Mississippi and I was in North Carolina with two two week old little babies to take care of.  He was already gone and I knew if I went to see him I may forever regret it by replacing my amazing final memories with him with new horrific images….My perspective may be forever changed…

 

More perspective….

 

As I was driving home from the hospital late last night after visiting with my mom I was praying that she would stay healthy and that this would be nothing more than a simple case of bronchial pneumonia and that she would remain with us and healthy for many years to come…I was also thinking…That was the most time I’ve gotten to actually spend with my mom in a long time.  Even though she’s been visiting she hasn’t felt well but on top of that taking care of three kids is a bit time consuming J  As odd as it was…It was great to spend time with my mom last night at the hospital…even laughing and joking…..

 

Perspective.  How much control do you think we have over our perspective?  Do our experiences change our perspective or do WE control our perspective?  Personally I think it’s a little of both, but more the first than the latter?  As strange as it is...I think the 'bad' things that happen to us have the potential to give our perspective a more positive spin...if we let them!