Vince and I have an ongoing “discussion” about our different attitudes toward life. He tends to be more realistic and he tells me that I see the world through rose colored glasses and that I have no real grasp for reality. Doesn’t bother me . . I get by just fine and a whole lot of that is because I know Vince is taking care of everything and I appreciate that so much.
Here’s a good example of where he would have been frustrated and I laughed and said “this is a great blog post!”.
In the hotel last night I went to bed about 10:30 and never looked at the clock. I was hoping to sleep late so I set the cell phone alarm for 8 a.m. At some point, I woke up, decided to go to the restroom, looked at the bedside clock as I was coming back into the room and I thought it said 1:06 a.m. Great! I still have plenty of time to sleep!
I never have a hard time getting back to sleep but I lay there and tossed and turned and couldn’t believe the number of doors I heard slamming and people upstairs walking. What are they all doing up at 1 a.m.? I decided it must have been folks just coming in. After a little while of not going back to sleep, I decided to grab the cell phone and read my email. Oh, my . . the cell phone tells me it’s 7:49 a.m. I figured the clock in the room must have been wrong.
I rolled over in the bed and looked at it.
Well, that looks close to right — it’s about what my cell phone says. But, when you stand up and look down at the phone, the top of those numbers aren’t visible and it looks like 1:55 a.m.
There you go . . it’s all in how you look at it. Stand up and look at it without your glasses and it’s 1:55 a.m. Lay in bed with your glasses on and it’s 7:55 a.m.
Maybe this little example helps me understand how Vince can see circumstances so differently from how I see them. He faces the world, looking at things straight on, with his glasses on. He goes to work and deals with the real world — government regulations and budgets and deadlines. He deals with our investments so he can retire and we can still eat and who knows what else. I glance at the world, from my angle without paying much attention to any of the things that concern Vince. From my sewing room, and my little kitchen, and from inside the four walls of my garden . . I see the world totally differently. Just like it makes a difference if you look at the clock from a level position with your glasses on, or if you’re not seeing it correctly, without your glasses on.
Now that I’ve had this funny little incident with the clock, I’ll probably always be sure to get a better look at the clocks in hotel rooms. I’ll always probably smile when I think about my “interpretation” of the time. So much of life truly is how you look at it.
Are you happy with how you see life? Do you find yourself needing to glance at unhappy situations and maybe not get a full view of what’s really happening? We all need to live in the real world but sometimes we find it too easy to dwell on the bad things, to keep viewing that train wreck. If we can’t change things, we need to move on and not dwell on them.
Kind of a “downer” example but if you were to pass a horrible accident, do you slow down and stare and try to see everything, or do you say a prayer for those involved, try to get past it without seeing any of the real carnage? Often, once you see something, you don’t get it out of your mind. Be careful what you allow to become embedded in your memory!
With this election coming up, I wonder how many of us have taken in too much of it. Chad and Nicole do not have cable and the only time the TV was turned on was to watch Duck Dynasty off my computer. Last night in the hotel I turned the TV on because I wanted to see the news about the dust storm in Oklahoma City. I had driven through part of it but I was nowhere near where they had the big pile up. Within 2 minutes of having the TV on, I said “No way! I do not want to hear all this!”, turned the TV off and turned on iTunes.
If you want to see the world in a different light, it may be time to look at it from a different angle!
Debbie Rhodes says
sometimes you almost scare me !!! I think one of the best things my parents taught me and my siblings is to keep an open mind.. and see things through others eyes… feel the other persons pain and joy!!
JudyL says
Join the crowd. I scare myself sometimes! 🙂
Regina says
🙂 perspective is important!! and recognizing other’s perspectives, too! This is a great reminder – and I love the clock story!
vickie van dyken says
Love it 🙂 I am passionate about the things I choose to be. The things that matter to me. They may not be what someone else chooses to be passionate about and that doesn’t matter! We all pick our battles and choose our own angle of view to the world. Those angles are constantly changing, influenced by the other things happening in our sphere of exsistence. I guess the key is being flexible, going with the flow and deciding where you will or will not take a stand. Oh and I drive by accidents quickly, saying a prayer. I also don’t watch gory or what I feel is disturbing parts of Movies or tv. My husband laughs because I cover my face and close my eyes. I see enough bad stuff without watching it in pictures. That is my choice, it’s the one that makes me happy….Be happy choose your own angles….and be open minded and flexible to change as needed!!!
Alma says
Off topic, but wondering if you had any problems on the road from the dust storm in OK and TX?
JudyL says
I did get into it in OK City but the worst was around I-35 and I was on I-44. Someone had been cutting hay, as well as cutting grass along the interstate and that was blowing as badly was was the dust. I was more worried about an 18 wheeler blowing over on me. They were all over the road and many had pulled over but the trailers were still pretty unstable looking with 70 to 80 mph winds. Not an experience I’d like to have again!
Tina in NJ says
I haven’t seen any of the debates, but I did watch the cadidates’ comments from the Al Smith dinner in NYC last night. On the computer. I found them both to be charming and funny. If only the entire campaign could be as civilized.
pdudgeon says
whole bunch of truth in your post, Judy!
Sue Lord says
Always love reading your post. They are so informing and entertaining. Thank you for being a part of my day.
Libby says
You have my vote Judy! I agree with you! While I have watched the debates, I do not watch commercial television and have even skipped the nightly PBS Newshour. I am disgusted and disturbed by the amount of money that is being spent on this election. How many hungry people could have been fed with those billions of dollars!.
JudyL says
Not only that but how much of that $$ could be used to help small businesses or take away some regulations so they could hire and put those unemployed folks back to work. We’re in quite a mess if you ask me.
Becky in VA says
Great post!
Sue in Scottsdale, AZ says
What a wonderful and thought provoking post. Everything you said is so true. I believe that seeing many things through rose-colored glasses is okay as long as you also stop every now and then and look at things straight on. Everyone needs balance in their lives. Too bad politicians can’t be like that – I am so sick of all the negativity and the amount of $$ spent. I agree that there are so many better uses for that money. Such a waste!
Doreen says
Truly, perspective is so important but it must be said, also, that realities differ (we each see life through our own ‘veil’) and what is going on may be our interpretation but not the actual occurrence so perspective is possibly best tempered with some realism/objectivity to enable one to “see”/know the true reality. I feel that the media has a “spin” they would like the public to embrace and truth may not have any bearing on it!
JudyL says
I guess this makes sense to you but it must be over my head! 🙂
Susan says
In spite of having to look at things straight on and deal with the frustrating realities, I still manage to keep my rose-colored glasses. I long ago decided I didn’t want to be the person who saw only the problems or only the difficulties or only the things that would turn me cynical. When I bought my house in 2011, I decided I didn’t need TV any more. I have only Roku, and this election is so much more pleasant that past ones! I learn just what I need to know to make an intelligent decision, and not another bit more. =)
JanetB says
Truly, I am more like Vince. As a single parent with a dead-beat dad, I had to take care of my son and plan for the future. It makes a realist of you in a hurry. Now that I’m retired and DS is on his own, I’d like to wear the rose colored glasses for a while. However, I’m concerned that politicians have their hands too deep in my pockets.
SarahB says
I too wear the rosey glasses and I prefer it that way. Luckily I married a man who loves knowing everything so we have a stable agreement…. I think up crazy ideas and he vetos them if they are too much! It works with the elections as well since I don’t watch tv or read the news; he does the research, watches the debates, finds the facts from both sides and he tells me who to vote for. Perfect for us, it works because I don’t mind not knowing everything. But I am not a ditz or ignorant… I just chose my battles carefully and mindful of what “season” of life I am in. Right now it’s all about my kids; things bother me only in as much as it will affect my parenting and my children’s futures. As things currently stand there won’t be a future for them if we continue down the path we are on.
Sherrill says
I was a lot like you a little over a year ago, stitching away with narry a care in the world. Then last July my DH was diagnosed with a deadly, aggressive brain tumor. Had to face that head on and even knowing how bad it was, I tried to be positive. Unfortunately he lost his battle 2 mo. ago (he would’ve turned 67 last week) and I’m still struggling with it all. I doubt it would’ve been any easier to deal with if I’d looked at things differently but I thought I had a lot more time with him. Sorry to be such a downer!
Dar in MO says
Sherrill, My prayers and thoughts are with you during this difficult time. May God Bless and watch over you.
Kathleen says
DH and I see the world much differently and it can be very frustrating at times. He’s VERY realistic and says he’s ‘boy scout prepared’. I see him as being a downer. He sees everything that can go wrong. I want to see the best in things and trust that things will be fine. That’s frustrating for DH. I guess we balance each other, but at times I’d like him to enjoy the world.
Karla says
I too see everything through those rose colored glasses. I am married to a realist who thinks that i am not in touch with the world. I just like to look for the positive in everything and not always watching out for the things that sideswipe me. My husband is the realist, and he attempts to keep me “in line” easier said than done. I see so much pain and sadness in the environment that I work in, I chose not to bring it home although sometimes its hard not to… because my husband is an otr truck driver I spend a lot of time by myself but I have my 4 legged babies to keep me company. I’m with Judy and am more than willing to let the big guy handle all he wants to… and I take care of the rest.
Quilter Kathy says
A brilliant and inspiring blogpost to read this morning…thanks Judy. You have given us all a lot to think about and a great metaphor to remember – it’s all in how we see things!