A Little Change in Perspective

Sitting alone on a mountaintop, I considered my view. 

That which stood in my depth of field, drew a hard line along its edges, claiming individuality. Crisp. Sharp. Unapologetic for its existence. Lingering droplets from a thick morning dew, clung to emerald tufts of grass. Tumbled stones washed clean by a summer storm, lodged in jagged crevices. Clumps of indigo berries dangled from a Highbush shrub, waiting to become jam, spread on a hot scone. Veins embossed on its leaves, resembling the trail map in my back pocket.

Gazing beyond the rock shelf, edges blurred—a scene through a camera lens, twisted out of focus. Details softened like chocolate sitting in the sun, no longer possible to trace the outline of a tree or petals on a flower. Footprints on a muddy path, lost their dimension, slurring into a shallow ravine.  Colors formed a patchwork of reds, yellows and greens.  Vibrant, yet fluid.  A living rainbow. 

Across the valley, layers of mountains lapped one another, clouds kissing their summits. Details gave way to nondescript shapes, like a freshly painted watercolor left out in the rain. Brilliant dyes traded for deep shadows, as if lime, jade and olive had been mixed with mud, poured into a pot and stirred like a thick soup. 

Not unlike our lives…

That which exists within our personal orb, is most attainable, yet often escapes our attention—so clearly in focus, it’s easy to take remarkable details for granted.

That which is just out of reach, appears most beautiful. Unable to observe defining features, blind to their pealing bark and insect-ridden leaves. Instead, they show fresh, untainted, flawless. Blurred to perfection.

Finding splendor in that which is most remote, relies on our willingness to trust the unfamiliar. Depending on the angle, this world may appear intriguing, mysterious, or even threatening. In the void created by distance, our imaginations have free reign to fill in the blanks.

Sitting alone on the mountaintop, beauty surrounds us. If we cannot see it, perhaps all we need is a little change in perspective.