The "P" word

Perception is the "P" word I was thinking about. (Hmm, I know you all were thinking something different!)

It's funny how something can be okay for years and then suddenly, boom, it's not okay anymore. One of my girlfriends was buying new furniture. The old stuff was outdated and worn. It was fine for many, many years, but once she decided to bring in something new, that furniture was unbearable for her. "Ugh, would you just look at that!" pointing to a worn spot on the armchair. I hadn't noticed it before.

My Dad lived in a small house with no running water or television. Many people would perceive this as living in poverty. I can picture an expose on the nightly news, a reporter asking solemnly "And you have to wash your dishes on the stove?" Then, "Where do you go to the bathroom?" The long walk into the woods, then a shot of the lonely outhouse. People at home shaking their heads, "Can you imagine? In America?!?"

Yet, my Dad lived exactly as he wanted to and wanted for nothing. His life was rich with nature, and the fulfillment of living exactly as he believed.

My point is, one situation; many different points of view. Sometimes I like to try on different points of view. I like to take a situation and turn it around, study it from different angles. I actually really enjoy having my perspective challenged; it's fun.

My husband and my sister-in-law had completely different childhoods. They grew up with the same parents in the same household and they describe very different experiences. Just a little food for thought. The way we experience the world is directly related to the way we see it and the filters that we create or the ones that were created for us.

Relationships are no exception. Sometimes, you have to look at a person in a new way. People change. Shit happens. People aren't like sofas. You can't just replace them when there's a worn spot on the arm. People get stained, and worn out, and stinky. The important part is to look past those things, make it so you don't even notice. You see, we're not worn out . . . we're worn in.