It's All In The Perspective

What I have noticed of late, but I probably have known all along...life is all in your perspective, or it is about your perspective.  What one person sees as an obstacle another sees as an opportunity.  Individuals who hold deep religious beliefs are not likely to change those beliefs no matter what evidence suggests otherwise. People who hold hate and bigotry will not let go of these ideas. They feed off of them. And so we move through our days trying to gain a balanced perspective - in spite of the objections of those who have only one perspective; theirs and they are right.  Scotty often said you should not borrow money from friends, or talk religion or politics at the dinner table.  Though I remember with great fondness the political debates all the Uncles would have at family reunions.  It was stimulating, and eye opening, and they were words that needed saying.  Our society has become too politically correct.  It gets to the point when you don't know if you can say anything without offending anyone.  Keith Oberman was fired for having an opinion - well it was a political talk show - and Rush Limbaugh, he has  a right to spout his beliefs.  See, we can't tell young men and women to travel around the world, willing to die for democracy, then sit here at home and banish those with opinions.  That is ludicrous.  There are conversations I have engaged in, knowing full well I would not change anything - but I let my voice be heard.  We should let our voices be heard. In schools the great insult is to call someone a "fag." This slander often goes without remark from an adult.  "Fag" is an word filled with hate.  How many times have you heard an "off-color" joke and did not speak up - you felt uncomfortable - you didn't like the joke, but you said nothing.  And it is perspective.  You are comfortable and safe in your little box.  You see no need to expand.  When do we stop growing? When do we just say; "Screw it, let the world have at it." Yesterday, a 19 year old Marine was buried. He was killed in Afghanistan. A few blocks from my house a man shot a police officer in the face, then held police at bay for 35 hours before he was killed by the police, the headline on my Fluent News - Woman and children in Libya have no place safe.  If you live in  a city how many homeless people do you encounter and how many times do you divert your eyes? It is perspective; I have mine.  So we crawl into our safe worlds, we read about what else is happening - we comment and we pray - but what do we do? What do we do? Nothing! I understand the feeling of there being so much, how can one person make a difference? Trying, starting, one step at a time...you tell me. A homeless man outside a Subway shop asked me for some spare change, I told him no but I would buy him lunch. "Lunch he said, buy me some beer." And so it is - his perspective was escape reality and mine was to offer nourishment.  I did buy him a sandwich and he took it.  Maybe he traded it in for a six-pack. I do not have any answers.  Just questions and more questions, and wondering - there must be something we can do.  Just each of us do a little something.  Perspective - how you see what is around you, how you take in information and process it. Yes, life is all in your perspective - take a look inside your box, then peek outside - together we can do anything. One person can make a difference - there is always hope - What is your perspective?