The view out the living room window is the reason we bought the house. There is a winding road edged by large poplars and fir trees that leads out to the access avenue. Beyond all this is a view of the city, sitting in the lap of the surrounding hills and way beyond that a glimpse of snow covered mountains.
Winter or summer the view delights the eye.
But like life, there are always things that spoil what was perfect. Just to the left of my lawn is a light pole. Not the big, heavy kind you see in the street, but a light standard that is part of the landscaping in my area.
I could allow it to spoil the pleasure of looking out my window but I have decided to ignore it. Like the A.A. acceptance verse, it is something I cannot change so I have accepted it and amazingly most times it has completely vanished out of my vision.
There are two messages here for me. I wonder how many of my own faults and failures I have pushed out of my vision. How many times have I again and again committed the same oversight…is it possible that like the light standard I have ignored something that is very visible to others?
Recently when my daughter was care-giving after hip surgery, I had to face that I was at times irritable and judgmental. I can use the excuse that I was more sensitive than normal but I have become accustomed to things my own way…and so had she. Luckily we do love each other dearly and she has raised two children and many a time I was acting like a somewhat spoiled child. She had the good sense to give me some space and a hot cup of coffee. She graciously overlooked the light pole in our relationship.
I hope my friends will do the same and that I will be more loving and accepting of the times they don’t always agree with me.
But the light pole outside the window also offers me a clearer vision of the walkway in the long dark winter hours of the north. During the night my living room always has a soft lit interior so I am not scrambling around in the dark when I turn the light off and head for bed.
I think God puts light poles in our lives not only to show us the way but to train us to focus on the negatives and positives in each situation. He has faith that we will see both and use wisdom to make a positive assessment about situations and about people.
