Now before your mind goes totally down the wrong road (and I know that allsome of your minds did) – please note that I said “man” and not snake. So now that we have cleared that up, the title probably still leaves you going, “huh?’. In other words, I’ve cleared nothing up.
My father is from small town East Texas. He often speaks in a phrase-ology reminiscent of Dr. Phil. And one of his favorite sayings is “In the world of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”. He says it whenever he wants to express a sentiment about perspective.
I can feel blind. Helen Keller blind. Blindfolded in a deep cave blind. Jodie Foster in the basement in “The Silence of the Lambs” with Buffalo Bill two feet away blind. Blind!
And as of late, I have been under the weather and truthfully feeling a little low. And tired. You know… sick and tired. So I needed a little perspective.
Recently, I got that perspective. I was faced with the burdens others carry and I was reminded how much I have. I learned of a mom who has a brain tumor. A mom with kiddos about the same age as mine. Another friend had a cancer scare and is still on a monthly watch. A mom at my son’s school just finished her last chemo treatment. Suddenly my headache and stuffed nose seem not so bad.
My husband loves me. And puts up with me (which is saying something!). I know of wives who are struggling in their marriages. My kids are healthy and go to great schools. Any morning watching the Today Show reminds me that is not true for everyone.
In other words, I am the one eyed man.
There was an email that circulated a few years ago that was a Thank You prayer. It took things that we often complain about and turned them into positive reasons to have gratitude. Things like (and I am paraphrasing here): saying thanks for paying bills because you have the money to pay. Saying thanks for going to bed tired because you have a job. Etc. Etc. That’s the prayer I want to say.
Dear God,
Thank you for my small apartment because it allows me to send my kids to a wonderful school.
Thank you for the strewn toys across my children’s room because I have two fun-loving kids that make that mess.
Thank you for my husband’s stinky socks because he works hard to provide for us thus creating VERY stinky socks.
Thank you for the mountain of laundry that I have because my children are always well-dressed. And thank you for the washing machine and dryer which saves me from trekking down to the laundromat.
Thank you for the sink full of dishes because we have had our fill of food.
Thank you for truly allowing me to be the One Eyed Man.
Amen.
Are you a One Eyed Man?
Somehow perspective has a tendency to smack us in the face! That is if you’re not too clueless to notice, which we all know you aren’t. I have my fair share of Aly pity parties, but to be honest, my in laws are so famous for feeling sorry for themselves that I always find myself throwing it out there that maybe THEY need perspective…so I at least TRY to keep a little for myself when I’m feeling like the world is crumbling down…even when it’s not
Some days perspective comes easily and sometimes I try to chase it away with a broom. But in the end I do feel better, even when it “smacks” me in the face. I, too, have a few relatives that could use a LOT of perspective.
Traci
That is a nice prayer Traci and we also use the proverb of ‘in the world of blind ………” How meaningful it is . We must always look at the positive aspects of life. What we have , very often we look at things and focus on what we don’t have. Must be happy with whatever God has given us….
tc
Chitra,
You are so right. So many blessings we take for granted and therefore do not see or appreciate. It’s cool to know that what I thought was simply my father’s bit of wisdom is woven throughout the world!
Thank you my friend!
Traci
When I start feeling sorry for myself, I really do try to step back from the situation and see that it’s not as bad as I thought it was when put into the perspective of the whole.
It’s that step back that is so important. This from a girl who often has her faced smashed up against the screen. It’s like pointillism. You can’t see how gorgeous the painting is unless you give it space. I think much the same can be said for our lives.
Traci
Thank you, for changing my perspective. I needed to be reminded of all that I have to be grateful for.
Thank you, my friend!
Traci
Perspective is very eye-opening! Sorry, eye couldn’t resist.
Eye can’t blame you — tee hee hee!
Traci
My first time here. Nice blog and super post. Well done.