A Different Lens

“@(^#)%^$% - this is a disaster!” Mike says, throwing his hands up and retreating to the deck, his shoulders hunched in defeat from the house that decided to fall apart two days before we were hosting an event. I watched through the window as his eyes grew tired from a long work day in a job he wasn’t enamored with, the never-ending list of to-dos and a now non-operating garbage disposal that decided to kaput despite it’s age of only six months.

Watching this, I almost gave in myself to the negativity that life can throw at you when you least expect it. Instead, I focused on the glimmer that slowly crept back in his expression as our son perched on his lap, exploring the texture of the outdoor furniture, sharing kisses with the dog and taking in the bright colors of spring and the joyful neighbors. And I too chose not to attend the pity party, but delight in all the gifts that this same curve-ball ridden life has also given to us. So instead of focusing on the leaking roof, the water-stained ceiling and wood floors, doors that won’t close and an avalanche of laundry and bills that seem to never disinegrate, I focused on the list of things I’ve been grateful to witness or participate in the past few days:

- Long, laid-back walks where we encounter darling children that share their stories and want to pet Miss Ellie. Once in awhile L gets a pat on the head too.
- Time around the kitchen table with the best of friends that includes wine, delicious food and a whole lot of love and support.
- Blog reading where you figure out you’re not completely crazy.
- Blooming flowers that seem to brighten the whole world just with their existence.
- Silly songs created by your husband that bring a smile to even the grumpiest of faces-Mommy and baby both.
- Planning parties that you know will make the well-deserving receiver grin with delight.
- Having the ability to delegate some tasks such as cleaning when your heart feels like it can’t take anymore and all you want to do is sit and read to your child for ten minutes.
- Purchasing a used car at a killer price, and overwhelmed with joy that it is never one you could have afforded on your own.
- Soft gusts of wind across your face as you sit with your family, including the family members, under a newly-updated deck.
- The opportunity to connect with family that has moved back when it matters most.
- The ability to laugh at yourself when you destroy the world’s simplest recipe and decide you’re confident enough anyway to serve it at a work birthday.
- The love of your job not only for it’s flexibility, amazing colleagues, amenities and more, but for its purpose of making a difference in children’s hospitals.
- Looking forward to family arriving in town to meet your son for the first time.
- Sensing the warmth of sunshine on your back as you go to fetch the mail.
- The dog’s full body dance when you arrive home after work or even a two-minute stroll to water the plants.
- Your son’s smile as he waits on all fours for you to snatch him out of his crib and take him on a new journey of the day.
- The delight on your husband’s face as he finally did something for himself and treated his camera to a new lens that will create memories to last a lifetime.

Yes, a new lens. A different way of looking at things when the going gets rough and the tough are told to keep going. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s looking at it a little differently. Through a new lens.