After a long day of travel, we arrived at our destination too tired to do more than unpack and fall asleep.
Early the next morning I woke up to the sound of surf. I opened the door to the deck and breathed deeply of the sea air. It was wonderful to see the water sparkling under a clear blue sky and hear only sounds of nature. Then, I started examining my surroundings.
The previous night I’d been bothered by our bathroom sink that hadn’t been properly cleaned. I started looking around and found several more little items to be upset about.
My mood had shifted and I was not happy. Housekeeping was not at the top of my priority list at home, but I started looking for things to find fault with here.
We sat down to breakfast with a panoramic view of the sea before us. Before long we saw two pelicans soar and then dive into the water to catch fish. The scene was calming.
I thought of how incredible it was to be able to sit at our table and witness this. Here I was, in a place I loved, with the beauty and tranquillity of nature surrounding me. Why then, was I wasting my time looking for inconsequential things to be upset about?
I was ashamed of my attitude and vowed to focus on the positive. I knew I was likely to see whatever it was I was looking for, so should concentrate on everything I had to be grateful for. All I needed was that different perspective and my attitude shifted.
This is a lesson for me to remember when I’m having a bad day. The circumstances may not change but a different perspective can improve my outlook and my life.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer
