Zoom out.

What a gift perspective is.

Often it means many years of experience have come and gone and left an earned understanding of what matters in life.

To gain perspective early, it might mean something awful happened. So it is with me.

My husband died unexpectedly at age 40, on a random Tuesday in May, in the prime of his life. He was in the right place in his career, home, and work life.  Things were well and settled.

What a shock to have everything vanish in one day. My husband, our marriage, our future, our dreams.  Over and gone.

It gives me perspective.

It has changed how much I’m willing to care about things that, when I zoom out from the situation, I can see don’t truly matter.

The energy I have is dedicated to keeping our children fed, clothed, mentally and physically healthy, active and thriving.

There isn’t much left after.

Things that would have bothered me in my old life, can’t cause a stir in me now.

I don’t have energy to be upset about things that won’t matter in 5 years, let alone 5 months.

When you see how suddenly everything can change, you spend less time holding on to things that don’t matter. Less time pretending to be in control.

Perspective has taught me to zoom out.

Zoom out and see the great many blessings I’ve been given each day. Let go of the irritating details of life that aren’t meant to bog us down or trap us in frustration.

Zoom out and let go. We are not in control of this one beautiful life we’ve been given.

Leave it all in the hands of the One who is and just keep walking.

Zoom out.