Changing Your Perspective

    
Where my family lives, our home is pretty much surrounded by a grove of mixed hardwood trees. The oak and maples form a canopy of sorts around us and as a result of that canopy we have a very limited view of the night sky. Where the trees were cleared off for the building site of the house there exists an almost perfect picture frame view of the sky and on a moonless night that pocket sized view gleams with myriad stars. As breathtaking as that star-lite view is, it is still limited in comparison to the view from our wide-open fields on the Carter -Whetsel family farm in Russellville. On a star filled night there you can lay down on your back and take in an awe-inspiring show filled with constellations, the man in the moon smiling down on your face, and the occasional shooting star racing down to its earthly resting place. Quite a bit of difference with the two views, and much the same as how we approach the perspective we take on life.
     We all have circumstances, adversities, and life situations that seem to dictate to us what our day holds in store for us. Each day for someone living with paralysis has a certain amount of regimen predetermined for the individual with a health plan created for therapy, medicine, and other procedural requirements which dictates a great deal of the person's life. I can speak to this a little better than most because I lived it with my amazing brother-in-law Jay Harold Greenlee. Harold was the unfortunate casualty of an auto accident that left him with a broken neck and a crushed spinal cord. The neck would heal, but that was not to be the case with the spinal cord injury. That injury left Harold paralyzed from the neck down with limited use of his two arms for over 20 years of his life. With an injury like that your perspective on life could really be a downer. Having to depend on someone to scratch your nose, give you a bite of pizza, or to move you by a hoyer to a shower chair each day could definitely give you reason to complain about life and the hand you have been dealt. That wasn't the case with Harold.
      Harold's smile, his wisdom, and his compassion for others gave him a different perspective. As easy as it would have been to lay there and complain, I do not recall one time in all of those years that Harold Greenlee ever complained about his injury. Sure, there were times when he hurt or the pain of some type of infection caused him to sweat profusely and hurt internally, but as far as complaining about his paralysis that didn't happen. He took a different look at life from the perspective he was placed. We didn't discuss it too much back then, but I believe Harold looked at life from the point of view that this is where he was, he could lay around and complain all day, or he could make the most of each day, being grateful that he was alive and able to watch his nephews and nieces grow and mature. He was so proud of Bogi, Rae, Jordan, Ethan, and Jacob. He loved to hear about their accomplishments whether on the playing field or in the classroom Harold was a big supporter of all of his family and friends.
     What situation or circumstances are shaping your perspective on life? Chances are it isn't a literal paralysis, but what other life matters are hindering you from moving outside of that little cut out view in your mind to the bigger wide open picture that is out there? Regardless of your situation we all have something that is shaping our mind's perspective on life. I choose to see the wide-open field view although I live in the woods with a limited view. It is my responsibility to move my mindset towards a better perception on life, and that is only possible through faith. Faith creates hope and hope doesn't fail. Regardless of what happens to us, if we have hope then we understand that whatever happens to us is not near as important as what then happens in us. My faith tells me to stand strong and believe, to trust that God has a plan and that plan is bigger than anything I can conceive. Through that mindset my perspective is completely altered. Life is no longer about me, but all about what I can do to fulfill God's plan for this life. The circumstances and situations become part of that plan and my view opens up just like the view from up on the hill at our farm! Change your perspective change your life!
Coach Carter