Perspective.

It’s all how you look at things.  The glass is half empty or it’s half full.

I’ve never really been a fan of these phrases because they’re usually uttered by people that are way too peppy or too dumb to know any better.

See, that wasn’t very positive of me.

Recently life has been quite challenging and I’ve been encouraged by those around me to keep a positive attitude.  Studies do show that attitude and shifting your perspective can lead to a healthier, longer life.

Not always easy.  In fact depending on the issues a person faces, it can be downright exhausting to look at things at all,  let alone from a different perspective.

A few years ago we were in Florence, Italy.  My children were younger and we were in a rental car.  If you’ve never driven in an Italian city, take my word for it and just don’t.  It’s crazy.

Anyway, we arrived in Florence tired, ready to find our hotel and sleep, as is often the case when you travel all day with young children.

We had the address and went to the cross streets, no hotel.

We drove around the block and came in a different way, no hotel.

We asked for directions in English and our butchered version of Italian, no hotel. We must have driven around where this damn hotel was supposed to be at least a dozen times.

An hour later we parked the car and continued to stare at the same map.  At this point someone had to go to the bathroom, and we all needed something to eat. My head was about to explode and Michael had crazy eyes.  “It should be right here,” he said kind of yelling at the map.

He then began looking at the buildings to our left and looking at the numbers.  I closed my eyes.  Deep breaths.  Of course we can’t find the hotel, I thought. Perfect!  I began to sulk.

“Maybe we need to look…”  He got out of the car and started walking toward the buildings.  At this point I’m sure he’s lost his mind.  Is he really going to ask someone else for directions?  Was there anyone left to ask?  The damn hotel just didn’t exist, that must be it.

I looked up and he came out of the buildings with a big smile on his face.  The hotel was literally right around the corner from where the car was parked.  We could not see it from any street that allowed car traffic, any of the streets we were driving on.  It was tucked around the corner on a pedestrian street.

He found the hotel.  He got out of the car, stopped cursing at the map, didn’t give up and changed his perspective.  Michael often drives me nuts, especially when I’m cranky, but when it comes to looking at things a different way, finding a way to make things work, on vacation or in life?  He’s the master.

That’s all from the laundry room.  Sleep under the stars.

crazy life daily thoughts driving family life thoughts travel Uncategorized vacation family life thoughts travel whatever