To get a new perspective she bends upside and looks up.
Isn't this so true? One of the synonyms for perspective is position, and I think that's perfect for not only my body but my mind as well. Lots of times I get new perspective by moving my body to a new location.
This weekend I changed my perspective by changing the position of my body--I went up into the mountains with some friends. Upon arrival, I was put to work burning pine needles in the fire pit. This became shockingly addictive. A couple of hours went by before I paused, but what I really noticed is this: to keep the fire going, it had to be tended. I put a couple of big logs on it, tee-pee style to let the air circulate, and once it got going I added pine needles. Those darn things didn't burn evenly and didn't burn all the way until I rearranged them and got air to them. Once the fire got going, it'd be great for a few minutes, then would peter out. I would then do something to it, we'll call it "tending" to the fire, and it would perk back up.
I realize I'm a bit old to be learning this, but better late than never, right? It occurred to me that as I sit on my couch or lay in my bed or wander around my kitchen being irritated that my house is a mess or that the garbage smells or that my yard is bringing down the property value of the neighborhood, that all of these things need tending. Maybe it's laziness or maybe it's tiredness or maybe being a spoiled brat, but some of this has not occurred to me before. Maybe it's growing up in America where everyone in the media looks beautiful while dust never settles in their house, they never sweat and they never age. I don't know.
It's akin to what a hairdresser told me once about my hair: "Joy, if you want your hair to look finished, you have to finish your hair."
While you mull on that piece of wisdom, I'm going to go work in the yard!
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