by Erin Weist
I have 5 young children and my life revolves around them. It is a beautiful, wonderful life that I never even imagined and I am continually struck by these blessings in my life. But sometimes, it’s hard. Sometimes, it’s stressful. Sometimes (ok, most of the time) it’s loud and chaotic. And those times I need to remember to put on my perspectacles. I don’t remember where I first heard this term floating around the internet (like this blog post here) but I love it. Spectacles is a colloquial word we use to refer to eyeglasses. People need spectacles because their vision is flawed. They have a fault which, when corrected, allows them to better navigate the world. Perspectacles refers to “perspective spectacles,” a metaphorical vision correction that changes one’s perspective or outlook on life, allowing for smoother, happier navigation through a tough world. Sometimes being a mother requires this type of perspective correction.
Often, when I look at my children, I only see what needs to be done. Chores need to be done, kids need to learn certain principles, faults need correcting, character needs sculpting…and so I focus on the faults in order to improve them. It can be overwhelming, to say the least. But putting on my perspectacles usually comes in the form of viewing my children from another person’s point of view. If I look at them without looking at how far we still have to go and instead look at how far they’ve come I am bewildered at their maturity, their learning, their manners, their cuteness and their light. They shine like fireflies in the dark!
How much is life like this? Do you look at a neighborhood full of faulty people who need to learn lessons? Do you look at your job with despair or disdain? Do you look at all of the fixing needed to be done on your house, yard, marriage, family, career, love life, or faith and only see how far there is still to go? Try putting on your perspectacles! You have neighbors, a potential support system, maybe you’ll be the one to pull them together. You have a job, a way to support yourself on a daily basis. You have a house or apartment with a space to live where you can have a refuge from the world.
And some reading this may not have those things, but you can still look with perspectacles on the beauty of the world God created for you, that He knows your name and loves you more than you can imagine. You have learned so much in your short time on earth and have come so far! If you were looking at yourself or your life from someone else’s perspective, or from yourself 5, 10, or 20 years ago, you would probably see more positively.
Having an appreciative perspective is a way of expressing gratitude, of acknowledging progress and blessings in your life. If you are feeling overwhelmed or you can’t quite keep a grasp on what or why you love, grab some perspectacles and you’ll realize how good things really are.