The Perspective

I have always like to fly in airplanes.  I have always enjoyed coming to the beach and standing on the sand and look out at the horizon.  Both of these give me a great perspective on life.

As we go up in the plane the people on the ground, of course, become smaller and smaller. Which then makes me think and feel like the problems, the strutting, the things we all get for evidence of our status, the new car, the cell phone, the chains on the chest, all of those disappear from high up.  We all become just little creatures like ants hurrying and scurrying around and what we think are major issues become invisible.  I think there was a song ages ago about "from a distance you look like my friend."

The Ocean and the horizon have another way of reminding me of how small and temporary I am and human life is. It is great fun to play in the water and to enjoy the shore, but when you look out to the horizon and cannot see the end, you are "put in your place" and are reminded that we are really so small and the earth is so great.

It is a perspective that we might benefit from acquiring more often. The Psalmist asked that question, "What is man that thou art mindful of him?"  We are God's creatures, but our importance is in who made us not in ourselves. I think that we might make a lot more progress toward cooperation if we would allow this perspective to humble us.