Perspective

It is an interesting thing when a simple change in view can alter your entire outlook. For example, this morning I was driving to work and the voice inside my head (you know the one, it just can't leave me alone for an instant) was making all sorts of ruckus. My voice was berating me for being so late getting in and at least I had the foresight to bring along my makeup so that I could slink in and do that in the restroom before the first meeting. Oh! And just how many meetings were there going to be? How many other little tasks had I forgotten about and why didn't I wear shoes that don't squeak when I walk since I was going to walk all over the site.

Just then, I turned my van onto the drive to our site and there was a new thing. The entrance had been narrowed to only one lane and there was a canopy shade in what had been the other lane (one of those easy-up things that stands on its own and provides a spot of shade that moves around as the Earth moves past the sun and is not nearly as useful as you think it will be when you purchase it). Under the canopy was a guard and he had drawn the task of checking badges or IDs for every single person coming on site. I dug out my badge well before driving up and flashed the guard a big smile and wished him a good day. I figured it was the least I could do since this certainly wasn't his idea of a good time.

Suddenly, my annoying voice made a complete turnaround. Gee, maybe my day wasn't going to be so bad after all. At least I didn't have to spend the day chasing the shade and greeting grumpy people!

On the drive home I had another one of these changes in view. Just a week ago I had complained about choosing the wrong gas station and paying $4.39/gallon for gasoline when I had passed stations that advertised $4.20/gallon. Tonight I drove up to the pump and it was $4.42/gallon and I thought, "Not bad, the station I just passed is $4.49 and the one closest to home is $4.59." Oh, my, how quickly the unimaginable becomes routine!