As we begin a new year, I want  to write some reflections on perspective…how we see things and perceive things, and how we might grow by being open to seeing things in new ways.

I have been pondering this a bit, then woke up at 4:30 a.m. this morning with many thoughts racing through my mind, and specifically a certain children’s book which I have not looked at in years.  I had to get up and start writing! In spite of the fact that I don’t want to get out of bed yet, I really love it when this happens because it is something that comes bubbling up from within me rather than something I specifically search for or plan.  It involves setting my heart and mind toward God and trusting that in often mysterious ways, God brings new perspective, new understanding, and nudges me when the time is NOW.

“Behold I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)

The children’s book that came to my mind is “Peeka the Traffic Light”, text by Tadashi Matsui and pictures by Shinta Cho.  My son received this book as a gift when he was 3 years old and it was my favorite book to read with him.  I think this was because it opened both our eyes to new perspective through the personification of a traffic light.  Here is Peeka..

And we also saw life in a different place and different culture…Tokyo, capital of Japan, biggest city in the world.  There were even a couple of phrases which I had to try to say in Japanese.  It was fun, and we both would always laugh at my attempt at this language.  I found the best way for me was to just proclaim it boldly, like I knew what I was doing.  Just live into it bravely!  You might want to try it?

We know that there is a certain pace, timing, and sequence to the life of Peeka the traffic light which allows Peeka and his surrounding world to function well…Green, Yellow, Red…Go, Wait, Stop.  But as the city gets more crowded and noisy, something happens:  “Green, yellow, red. Green, yellow, GREEN?  Red, yellow, RED? Green, yellow, YELLOW?  Red, yellow, RED?  Oh my!  Everything is mixed up.  Has Peeka been working too hard?  He seems to be getting dizzy!” What results is a traffic jam.

Wires inside Peeka need to be jiggled and then Peeka becomes his old self again.  The perspective for me here is the need for balance in my life between the three lights of GO, WAIT, STOP.  This balance provides the structure for love, creativity, freedom, justice, giving and receiving.  “For everything there is a season”…a good perspective for a new year!

Questions to ponder…

What is it in my life that can easily get out of balance?

Which part of the light might be most difficult for me -GO, WAIT, STOP?

What helps to balance?

nk