Perspective Lens

Today as I was walking around campus I noticed some things that were bothering me and I immaturely thought how I would post it on Facebook later. Then when I got home I realized I had forgotten what had bothered me. It mad me realize how pointless it is to get caught up in petty things. Because in the long run none of it will matter. I guess it's all about perspective.

Speaking of perspective, I love those pleasant moments when your perspective changes for the better, like when you meet someone new or experience a new piece of art. I think adopting a new perspective is a sign of maturity and growth in a person, showing they are capable of seeing outside themselves, even if only fleetingly.

One of the biggest game changers for me actually happened last year but I think it's still relevant. I went to Taiwan to work at English summer camps/service camps. It was so humbling to be in a new country and introduced to its culture. Asian culture specifically is so different from our individualistic society that I learned about the effectiveness of humility, team work, and generosity. I felt inside myself that I came back an entirely different person from when I left. My soul had somehow aged because I learned to see outside myself.

On a more relatable scale, since I have come to college I've been going through that whole new-situation, new-self thing and as such have met a lot of people that have helped shape the new me. Probably one of my favorite things in the entire world is talking one-on-one with someone and learning about who they are. I hope I don't sound like I creep but I love breaking down a person to their elements, ie their background, what experiences have shaped them, and what they want to become. I've been fortunate enough to have some deep conversations with people that expose who they really are. Generally when this has happened, I gain a new respect for the individual and have the ability to see them in a different light. I can then see the person in context and it is humbling. It's far too easy to make assumptions about people until we see where they've been. When we know where someone has been it becomes difficult to disdain that trial-worn individual.

In case you were wondering where this commentary came from, I talked to a kid on the bus from my ward today who is also in my Chinese class and I was humbled a bit. He was not what I was expecting at all and I was pleasantly surprised by my new companion. It was exciting to see how much we had in common and our conversation lasted until we had to part ways off the bus. It was a nice reminder to me that people simply cannot be defined by our first impressions, because first impressions are fleeting and trivial while a person is much more complex deep inside.

Ok kiddies, go forth and see the world from a different angle.

-M