What Do You See?

There is a game where you show the closeup picture of something  and then try to guess what it is. For instance the picture on the left is a closeup of a small portion of the picture below and to the right. When seeing just a small portion, we miss the larger perspective and sometimes mistake it for something else.  My college physics class 30+ years ago showed a short film in which the camera started with a man's hand and then moved out at 10 meters per second (if I remember right) to the park, city, nation, world, then universe. It then went into the micro world of the man's hand. The rapidly changing  perspectives were stunning. 

There are many perspective today in our world about everything, but particularly roles of family, government and who bears responsibility for change. This is the time to share what we see and listen to others so we don't miss pieces and perspectives of each other. I believe it is is important that people can share their view without having to agree with civility and respect. So here I take the opportunity of sharing a sampling of my viewpoints, a musing of perspectives.  As I listen to the cultural and global conversations, my heart and mind are sorting about responsibility and receiving.  Sometimes I hear something different than what I have known, and it tugs at my heart and I change. Sometimes as I hear differences, I feel I see more clearly than ever. Only by sharing will we learn each others heart and grow in understanding.

Musing number one: I suppose in that crushed flower my child gave me, some see one less flower in the garden. I see the tender heart of a child making an offering, a gift in combination with the God of nature. With the beauties around, the child who had nothing now has something to give, reminiscent of life, and beauty, these titles are bestowed now on the recipient.

Musing two on government: I suppose that in the United States Constitution, some see an agrarian document outmoded and outdated. I see an incredible treatise on the heart and nature of man, created by those who had studied human nature for millennia and debated together to create restraints on unbridled dominion, checks on power, and a hundred restraints. The foundational underpinnings of government by the people, with freedoms given by the Creator, have led to a unique position of generosity and influence. The document allowed critical changes for equality that marred its earliest genius. The document prevailed as the culture made course corrections within its framework, a framework designed to operate from the people -people who bear responsibility for their liberties and lives. 

Musing three on the family: I hear voices say that in the human family, they see only burden, and oppression. While oppressions do exist, the majority of  families, the most basic global and universal unit, are tied together with bonds of deep love and sacrifice with a fierceness to protect and care for each other. I see in the hardest of struggles, mothers and fathers live with the deepest expressions of character, and the joyful privilege of responsibilities. Families have the potential to provide the most meaningful motivations of life itself, as well as the compassion to reach across neighborhoods and nations finding ways to support each other. 

In the cultural divide some see threats, insecurity, and doubt. I believe we can come out of this stronger and better. Wherever the human heart genuinely seeks to create a better place to live, I think there is space to share and learn from each other. Is it possible that at the crux of these three examples is a deep sense of how we freely give and bear responsibility?  I believe some answers lie in the simplicity of child like heart who freely gives.  I believe in governing structures that support liberty, autonomy and the voice of the people. And I believe there are answers deep in every individual and family, that will bring healing. I believe these answers will come with compassion, not blame, with personal responsibility, not shame. Most of all, I believe we need to share what we see, freely and openly, with respect and an eye to understanding as we individually take actions to create a more equitable, liberty loving, supportive and compassionate world.