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When you Can’t see Another View

(I’m hooking up with Lisa Jo Baker for Five minute Friday. The word: view)

My shifter was broken.

It wasn’t that I wouldn’t look at things a different way. I couldn’t.

The freedom I felt when I left that office. You’ll never know.

My husband used to tell me in our conversations, “Anne sometimes it’s like a metal wall comes down and nothing gets in.”

I’d make up my mind and slam the door.

I remember trying to see things a different way, but it was no use. Like a magnetic pull I would return to the my previous point of view and stay there.

Then I saw an interesting picture. I had seen it before, but this time it hit me in a new way. The picture was of an elderly woman. She had a large nose and reminded me of the woman in the Story of Hansel and Gretel. But if you look at the picture again you can see another image.

There in the same lines you’ll see the profile of a young woman with dark hair and a feather coming out of her hat. Where did she come from?

It’s easy to let our minds get stuck in ruts. Try as we may we can’t seem to see another view. And then the light goes on.

I took this concept of another view and translated it into my metal minded thinking. I started by asking myself a simple question on those days the metal wall has slammed shut.

The question? “What if I’m wrong?”

And ever so slowly I heard the metal door lift.

This Post Has 20 Comments

  1. Kathleen Caron

    It’s kind of a miracle when your (or someone else’s) mind and heart open up and allow a different point of view to come in. I feel so blessed when that happens, although a lot of times I can’t help but think “why didn’t I see this sooner?” Oh well. These things happen when they happen.

    1. annepeterson

      I agree, they happen when they happen. I look back now on my life and see the times I refused to let go of what I thought. The other side of perseverance is really stubbornness. It’s fine when you are hanging on because you need to hang on. Quite another thing when you refuse to let go, and you should.

  2. emptynestmomma

    Anne – Your words are just another confirmation of the message I’ve been receiving lately, which yesterday came to me as Isaiah 43:18-19 – “Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” Thank you for sharing, Anne. And btw…I’ve seen this picture before, and today I could see the young woman right away, but it took me awhile to be able to find the elderly woman. Lol. Have a blessed day – Barbara 🙂 PTL

    1. annepeterson

      Barbara,
      Loved how you now had trouble seeing the elderly woman. I see the young maiden first now too. I think it’s because I want to! The good news is I can switch back and forth. For me, that’s growth. Thanks for reading, and for your insight. Loved the verses the Lord is sharing with you.

  3. Audrey Chin

    Such a simple question and immediately there’s a shift. Thanks for this Anne. “What if I’m wrong?” I need to remember that.

    1. annepeterson

      Audrey,

      You won’t believe how I struggled to believe I COULD be wrong. Oh the pride. Layers and layers of pride. May I tell you how I became aware of it in this situation? I was a returning student after 25 years+ when I met this woman in my Biology lab. Someone told her that her answer was wrong and she would NOT let it go. And I asked God, is that what I look like? Well, needless to say, it was a great awakening. Sometimes we have to have our lessons illustrated before us. At least I do sometimes.

  4. lornafaith

    Great post Anne…I needed this reminder of a different point of view today. Thanks, it’s just what I needed to hear today:-)

    1. annepeterson

      Thanks for reading Lorna. I think the days I really need this kind of post I’m most resistant. 🙂

  5. sarahssundry

    I really like it when my mind somehow skips out of the rut that it’s been in for so long. A rut that I try and try to dig my way out of. To divert the train as it were. It’s a wonderful feeling when it gets off one track onto another and you can breathe new air… even if it’s just for a moment or two. Great post!
    ~Sarah from http://sudryandspecific.wordpress.com/

    1. annepeterson

      Sarah,
      I read about getting out that rut in a book by the Berenstein Bears. Mama bear was explaining what a habit was. It was a great analogy of the rut you talked about. I actually got to hold a brain in my hands in one of my classes about the brain, as a returning student in 2006. It’s really true about how the brain makes pathways and the more we repeat them, the deeper the ruts. Very sobering. Thanks for your comment.

  6. flyfishtroy

    Sometimes learning can be most difficult. When the mirror reflects the picture of us we didn’t want to see. But that’s when grace can do its work. Thanks Anne.

    1. annepeterson

      You’re right, Troy, that’s when grace does its work. I have never had a situation when someone wanted to come up to me and share something that God didn’t beat them to, to prepare my heart. That’s not to say that sometimes people have not said hurtful things to me. I’ve just found God prepares me for the things He wants me to hear.

  7. Minuscule Moments

    Anne I love it! The biggest question is if we cannot see another persons point of view we miss out on learning something new from a different angle. That picture is one I remember from my school days and I have always loved it, brought back a few old dusty memories for me of the ones who could see it…..like me (a visual person) and the ones who could not.

    1. annepeterson

      Glad you enjoyed it, Kath. For so long I was more interested in others seeing my point of view. Understanding me. And the older I got the more I saw it wasn’t all about me. But, it took a long time for me to get there, dare I say sometimes I slip out of there, still wanting to be understood. Besides writing, I love psychology and I loved learning about the mind and thoughts.

  8. Eileen

    Anne, that’s a great question to ask! And yes that question shows humility and acknowledgement that we all make mistakes and our views aren’t perfect.

    1. annepeterson

      Eileen,
      Thanks for reading. And you’re right the question is a good one. Anytime we can admit we make mistakes, it’s a good thing, regardless of how it feels.

  9. Teresaparker

    What? You mean there’s another point of view besides mine? Seriously, though, great post. I was at a seminar once where they had us pair up and get in the position as if we were arm wrestling. We were to first take the other person’s arm down and say, “I’m right.” Then, they took ours down and said, “I’m right.” We went back and forth like that until they said stop. It lasted several minutes. It’s amazing how entrenched you can get in wanting to be right even when there’s nothing you’re arguing about! People were really getting into it saying, “No, I’m right.” “I said, I’m right.” All over a silly game.

    1. annepeterson

      Teresa,
      That sounded interesting with people really wanting to be right, even though it was just a game. You’re right, we can get entrenched in it. People really struggle with pride. I know I have.

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