When you spend a fair amount of time in bed it does tend to skew your visual perspective. Especially if you are lying in a tilted downward, minus 10 degrees angle for a fortnight, as my husband was while recovering from his last spinal operation.
Granted, his view of things was also affected by the general anaesthetic and the somewhat delusional mental state it engendered in him for a few days post-op. Not to mention having to make do without his glasses, of course. That didn’t help much. 😏
He began to have an altered reality perspective, including a mathematical slant on the room he was in, seeing swirling patterns on the white-tiled ceiling, odd shapes in corners and strange angles everywhere. Only they were invisible to everybody else, which was most frustrating for him. But it certainly helped pass the time!
Sometimes I think it helps to see life differently, though not necessarily in a tilted down state like my husband was, discombobulating as that can be. Rather, it can be an advantage to let our imaginations fly, give them free rein, in life and in faith.
Because when we have our eyes open to wonder, why we tend to see it everywhere. I particularly love clouds and obscure window views for the way they stir me creatively and spiritually on to thoughts of freedom.
Our days may seem pretty mundane on the whole but a capacity to anticipate holy joy and awaken to wonder in the everyday can alter our perspective in the most delightful ways. I’m so thankful for supportive, praying friends and the wisdom in God’s word that lifts my perspective and puts me back on track whenever I get derailed, especially by discouragement.
The poem below was inspired by an angled window view. I hope and pray it will stir a desire in you to try looking at your life from a renewed, slant perspective and readying yourself to be surprised and inspired by what you might see.
Let me see life slant
Let me see life slant, ready to be tilted
into a fresh perspective, as new angles
present themselves to the eyes of my heart
like lessons in geometry, wrought from
passing scenery. May I form irregular
lines, make shapes from clouds and
trees, let my imagination fly, unfettered
while I thrill to mathematics in the sky
filling my soul and mind with unfiltered
possibilities, limitless boundaries
©joylenton
Poetry Joy 
Reblogged this on Pastor Michael Moore's Blog and commented:
Sometimes we need to adjust our perspective… thanks, Joy ❤️
Thank YOU, Michael! Bless you, Brother, for your kind and generous spirit. 💙
❤️❤️
I love this perspective. And especially this: “when we have our eyes open to wonder, why we tend to see it everywhere.” So true. Wasn’t it Emily Dickinson who said, “write it slant”? Her view was very limited too, confined to a single home and her garden, yet she saw more than most of us do in a lifetime of travel. Thank you for this, Joy, and may you and yours find healing and be well,.
Hi Deborah, I’m glad this appealed to your artistic, creative and poetic mind. Yes, it was Emily Dickinson who those words are attributed to. She’s one of my favourite poets, so it’s lovely that you have quoted her here! Amy Carmichael also springs to mind as a woman whose latter years were spent in a single room because of her infirmity. She wrote beautiful books and poetry. I have often mourned my lack of travelling experience over the years, but you have reminded me how God can give us an expanded vista, an unlimited inner vision that transcends physical presence and allows us to see life more with the eyes of the heart. Although it’s almost a year since my man had his surgery, this reaction to anaesthesia remains fresh and we still talk about it. He is pretty well now and I am recovering from a bout of flu and viral illness. Upwards and onwards! Thanks for asking. Blessings of health and strength to you and your beloveds. xo 💜
Dear Joy,
As I sat lingering with your words, I kept re-reading them, and trying to catch what the Lord was trying to so specifically show me. And in your picture, from your window looking out, I recognized a similar view in our main windows. Our home is a “raised ranch,” so that our main living spaces are on the upper level. We have an almost “treehouse” view of things. On this day, when I’ve once again contemplated the struggles of housekeeping, and why do we have this home to try to maintain, God used your words to remind me of all of the beautiful lessons He has spoken to me as I’ve peered out these windows with a bird’s-eye view of the trees. Thank you for reminding me that HE has us just where He has purposed, to bring His views to our hearts. Much Love and Hugs to you my friend. xoxo
Dear Bettie, oh how lovely to have an almost treehouse view of things! A literal birds-eye view to help lift your soul, especially on those extra wearying days. The photos I have shared were taken in our younger son’s conservatory. Sadly, we don’t see trees much at all unless we go outside and look beyond our immediate surroundings. Housekeeping is a bit of a bind with chronic illness and I fail to maintain even a semblance of order by myself. Thankfully, Phil can largely do what I am unable to. Praise God for helpful husbands! I appreciate your thoughts on God having us “just where He has purposed”, encouraging as they are if our home, view or circumstances are less than salubrious. Thank you! Much love and hugs to you too. xoxo 💜
Joy, I wanted to come over and thank you for the lovely, thoughtful comment on my blog. My husband had some moments like yours back in 2003 when he broke his neck! We look back and laugh but honestly it’s wasn’t funny at the time!
Hi Susan, it’s so sweet of you to pop over here! I loved your blog post. It’s good that time gives us a different perspective on health challenges. To be able to “look back and laugh” is a gift, especially when things may have been fraught with fear and concern about the future at the time of the event. My husband faced the thought of potentially being paralysed if things went wrong. Yet God gave him supernatural calm, peace and patience to endure things that caused staff and visitors to marvel over his amazing ability to cope with the positioning, never mind episodes of excruciating pain. It’s lovely of you to stop by. Do drop in again! 😊💜
Such sweet encouragement, Joy. May I too be: “ready to be tilted”. One of those days as a Mommy today that is just plain hard. I need Him to give me His eyes tonight. Thank you for encouraging me to do so.
Anna, it’s such sweet encouragement to see you here and at Words of Joy this week! It warms my heart to be able to encourage you, my friend. Mommy days can vary enormously in how children are behaving and how we act or react in response to them. May you be given a reminder to breathe, send up a short breath prayer and soldier on in the strength of the Lord. God will provide all the resources we need to love and parent well, especially when we are at the end of ourselves. Blessings. xo 💜
Love your perspective, Joy! It’s important for our hearts to remain open to changing views! God does not change but our understanding of Him expands as we draw closer to Him through faith. We are on such an amazing journey – this is true even if we never leave our homes. Blessings, my friend!
Oh, June, you have renewed my perspective and cheered my heart today by reminding me that we are on a journey that stretches and grows us, “even if we never leave our homes” or experience the same things others do. Each journey is accompanied and each is unique. I’m grateful for your company, dear friend. Blessings on the rest of your week! xo ❤
This inspires me to open my eyes more to wonder and to let my imagination fly, even if it is from my window this winter. 🙂 Thank you so much for your encouragement, Joy. Love and hugs to you! Have a relaxing, restful, Spirit-filled weekend!
That’s good to hear, Trudy. Awakening to wonder and letting my imagination fly are what helps keep me sane during long stretches of being housebound! Sometimes I make up stories about the people that pass by, or a view can inspire a poem or two. Other welcome distractions include reading, writing and connecting with lovely friends like you. I’m so happy to have inspired you, my friend! You never fail to encourage me on your blog and with your comments here. Oh how I would love a “relaxing, Spirit-filled weekend”! May it be so for you too. Love and hugs! xox 😊💟