A New Outlook

"A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience."

   - Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894), American writer

Sometimes when you're paying the least attention to what you're doing and you're not looking for anything in particular, perhaps just passing the time, something happens that gives you a fresh perspective on things. Such was the case with Michelle Brown who was meeting a friend and her children for lunch even though she was in a really bad mood.

"I was having a bad day--a really bad day. Maybe it was one of those trickledown yellings. I was working at the University then, so maybe I felt caught in one of the many departmental power struggles."

Though she had no desire to make the date, out of a sense of obligation she went on anyway and found herself alone with little Lucas when her friend, Karen, and her other two kids got ahead of them. As she and Lucas followed Karen, Lucas heard what he thought were baby birds and stopped to look for them.

"Then Lucas stopped and said, 'Listen.' I heard them, too--baby birds up in the trees somewhere. So I stepped back and looked. Sure enough, a nest was tucked into the top of a nearby tree. I told Lucas, 'See? It's right up there.' 'Where?' he asked. 'There to the left of the street light,' I said, a little annoyed, pointing to the nest. He still didn't see it, so I squatted down next to him and realized that, from his height, the nest was completely blocked by the other tree."

Michelle then reached down, picked Lucas up, and from his new vantage point the little guy was able to see where the baby birds' chirps were coming from. This made him very happy. And guess what? All of a sudden the things that had been weighing Michelle down became inconsequential. She was out of her funk. No therapy, no medication, no pity-party--a simple hug from a grateful child was all it took.

Isn't there a lesson here for most of us who are caught up in the agonies of this mad, mad world we live in today? I think so. In Michelle's case, it was a curious child that enabled her to see things in a new light. But it could be anyone, adult or child, who we take the time to connect with that could do the same for us. All it takes is a little more awareness. The rest will take care of itself.