What makes a good day good and a bad day bad? Sometimes it’s just a matter of perspective.
To illustrate, the following is a letter from a college student to her parents:
Dear Mom and Dad,
Since I left for college I’ve been remiss in writing. I’m sorry for my thoughtlessness in not writing before. I’ll bring you up to date now, but before you read on Please Sit Down. Are you sitting down? It is essential that you are sitting down.
I’m getting along pretty well now from the skull fracture and concussion I got the night I jumped out the window of my dorm the night of the fire and I’m healing pretty well now. I only get those sick headaches about once a day.
Fortunately, the fire in my dorm and the jump was witnessed by an attendant at the local gas station. He ran over and took me to the hospital and he continued to visit me there. When I got out of the hospital I had no where to live. He was kind enough to let me share his basement apartment. It’s kind of small, but cute. He is a very fine boy and we have fallen deeply in love and we are planning to get married. We haven’t set the exact date yet but I know it will be before my pregnancy begins to show.
Yes, Mom and Dad I’m pregnant. I know how much you are looking forward to being Grandparents and I know you will welcome the baby and give it the same tender care and devotion you gave me when I was a child. The reason for the delay in our marriage is that my boyfriend has a minor infection which I have carelessly caught from him. I know however, that you will welcome him into our family with open arms. He is kind and although not well educated he is ambitious. Although, he is of a different race and religion than ours I know your often expression of tolerance will not permit you to be bothered by that.
In conclusion, now that I have brought you up to date, I want to tell you that really there was no dorm fire, I didn’t have a concussion nor a skull fracture. I wasn’t in the hospital, I’m not pregnant, I’m not infected, and I don’t even have a boyfriend. However, I am failing history and science and I wanted you to see these marks in their proper perspective.
This letter, perhaps a little extreme, attempts to make the point of the need to keep things in their proper perspective. The outcome of a balanced outlook, or perspective, of your life’s circumstances is appreciation and acceptance.
This is not to say that unfortunate situations should not be addressed and corrected, if necessary. But everything is relative. Meaning you can qualify this college student’s failing two courses because at least she is safe and healthy.
In this letter, the young lady is really just asking her parents to consider having
the perspective to be grateful that she is alive and well. Although her failing grades will and should be addressed, she just be wants to be valued and appreciated as their daughter.
Keeping the proper perspective will lead to less anxiety and disappointment and will create opportunities for greater happiness, fulfillment and connection.
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