Tag Archives: changing perspective

A different perspective

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“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” ― Aldous Huxley

My Christmas present from my husband was a macro lens. Above is my first photo using my new lens. It’s of the Christmas candle my children gave me.

I wanted this lens because of my mom, who passed January 1, 2023. She was an avid photographer and this was the lens she used most. She loved to take close-ups of nature like mushrooms, wild flowers and sea creatures. Our house was decorated with her amazing photos. I wonder where they are now?

Instead of buying the lens for myself, after dusting off my Nikon after 10 years of unuse, I decided to sign up for a photography class. My class starts later this month and runs through May. I thought by the end of the class, if I had mastered the basics of photography, I’d be worthy of owning the lens.

But with the Christmas gift, I have been trying out the lens. I’m enjoying different close-ups to distance shots.

Here are some of my photos from this week:

A barrel cactus

Barrel cactus close-up.

Elephant feed next to our garage. Quail laid eggs in the planter while we were out of town. They abandoned the eggs after we returned with our car.

Close-up of Elephant feed.

Poinsettia

Close-up

Moroccan Mound is the succulent in the foreground. The purple beavertail cactus is behind the Moroccan Mound — and is the purple plant. 😉

Now for the close-ups:

Moroccan Mound close-up

Purple beavertail close-up, complete with a cobweb I couldn’t see with my own eyes.

After trying out my new lens, I thought about how a different perspective can help us through our days and challenges. Sometimes it’s useful to take a step back, or to take a closer look.

“Look at everything as though you are seeing it either for the first or last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” ― Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

When have you changed your point of view or perspective?

Do you prefer a close up view — or looking at the big picture?

Life’s too short

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Sunset in Puerto Penasco
Sunset in Puerto Penasco.

This week I went out to lunch with two graphic designers I used to work with when I was in public relations and advertising. I’m talking about the years before I had kids. My oldest is 30!

Last month, I met graphic designer #1 for coffee. She moved out here about 15 years ago. She lived a few blocks from me in Palm Springs. When I was moving out here, a fellow swim friend reminded to contact her.

I’m so glad I did. At the time, COVID was raging and we didn’t get together. But she sent me an email with lists of restaurants and grocery stores nearby. She also told me to keep my cat inside! She recommended the YMCA that is five miles from our house as a place to swim. All her help made our move easier.

This time for lunch, graphic designer #1 asked if it was okay if she invited another graphic designer from my past life. When I had my own PR firm, I felt a lack of loyalty from graphic designer #2. It was a work related incident that is meaningless now.

Today, I have a totally different perspective. I can see where I was at fault, or maybe I was reading something into a situation that didn’t exist. She may not even realize that I was upset!

I felt work that I created was mine — but in fact it belonged to the company who hired me. I didn’t have ownership, just pride in my work.

Amazing what 30 years can do for clarity and common sense.

The three of us had a delicious and leisurely lunch, caught up on decades past and agreed to make this happen on regular basis. I was so excited to see and connect with both my old co-workers and friends. They’ll add a great dimension to my new Arizona life.

Here’s to ongoing friendships, a sense of community, and understanding that life is too short to hold onto hard feelings.

What examples do you have where time has changed your perspective over your feelings or relationships?