The proverbial Rose Colored glasses - do you own a pair? More importantly, do you ever take them off? What do you see when you look at the people and places and events that compose your life?
I am not exactly sure where the phrase comes from - perhaps it's a Lennon thing; you know, John being all poetic about love, and peace, and happiness and such with those little Ben Franklins on? If that is the case, why would everyone have such a chip on their shoulder about that - seems to me that if more people thought that way, the world would actually be a better place, yes?
In any case, I find the use of the term to be somewhat less than a compliment and more of a accusation. As in, "oh, why don't you take off those glasses & see things as they really are!" My immediate thought is, really - I can't choose to see things they way I do because it may not happen to be the way you see them, or the way the "majority" see them? Is it not decidedly interesting that the people who accuse others of being idealistic are typically those that can't even see the trees in the forest, never mind the actual forest? All they see is the long road they have to take to get there perhaps?
What got me started on this was a conversation I had with an acquaintance a few days ago. They were complaining about the rain - oh it's so dreary & such...I looked at them and said, "Wow! It's so beautiful outside! The trees are wet and shiny and the colors of the leaves are so vibrant and the lawns are so green!
"Take off those rose glasses", I heard back. Wow indeed!
Why is it so hard to see the good in almost everything? Why can't some people (most?) see that there is so much beauty and wonder all around us everyday? I've come to the conclusion that it's those glasses - those Rose colored glasses. It's not that I have them on, it's that others do!
Your attitude is your filter, it controls almost everything you see, do and feel; or rather the way that you do.
Your attitude results from taking all that you have learned and putting it to use in your world. As I read and understand more and more about people and why they think the way they do, it occurs to me that we all start out with very clear lenses, maybe somewhat distorted, but decidedly clear. For many, as the road of life leads winds away into the future, those lenses gradually, almost imperceptively, get cloudy and colored by the adversity and fear that we all must face; 'til we get to the point where our lenses are fully colored, and we don't even know it.
The death of my father once caused me great pain and it took me years to break through that. My glasses were then broken when I rediscovered my faith, and therefore myself, and an organization of people that helped me to learn that there are many truths in the world. One of these, I rediscovered, is that there is great beauty in almost everything, but oftentimes you have to look for it. I made the decision that I would be a "good finder" and that I would do my best to help others to do the same - perhaps it was a gift given to me by The Spirit. What I do know is this; one of the great keys to a happy, successful life is not in pursuing what you want, but in wanting what you already have. It comes from maintaining a vibrant and healthy relationship with God, yourself, and your ability and will to serve others. When you do this, I believe you see things more clearly, and you realize that your rose lenses weren't really all that rosey.
Learn like you're going to live for ever, and live like you're going to die tomorrow - and toss those glasses in the trash!
Live well - Be Well!
Stephen
