Nice View, New Point of View
Writing about my kitchen window views these last couple of weeks makes me remember all of my kitchen views over the years, twelve altogether. Some have been nicer than others but they all eventually became a familiar source of comfort to me.
I no longer have a house in the country, so my view is quite different now, but I love it. I live in a small town and my kitchen overlooks the firestation, a few houses and the busiest road in town, which everyone takes to the arena and the community centre. I overlook our little parking lot too so I can see my neighbours coming and going. It is not exceptionally pretty but I love it just the same.
And since my own life is not always busy, due to depression, I enjoy looking out and seeing that life is going on anyways, without me.
Sometimes it's not what something is that gives it significance but what it represents to you. This view of mine represents connection.
My apartment is just minutes away from the daycare centre where our twin grandbabies go every day. Sometimes the teachers there take the kids on a walk and we even get to see them out the window. If we see them ahead of time, we run out and say hi. Seeing those little faces cheers up any kind of day. We can walk over at the end of the day and see them when their mom picks them up.
Two other grandchildren go to school about ten minutes away. Sometimes the school kids walk over to the community centre for something special and if we're lucky we will see them. The grandkids always look up at our window just in case and if they spot us they wave enthusiastically. It fills my heart. Sometimes they come over after school, even better.
The potential that the views from this kitchen window hold are a great depression getaway for me. Just walking up to that kitchen window, away from whatever else I am doing or thinking, can change my point of view and change my thoughts, if only for a moment or two.
There are many ways we can change our point of view even when we are depressed. One of those is definitely changing your view.
That could be rearranging your furniture so you are looking a different way or sitting or sleeping in a different direction. Maybe even move some furniture so you can see out a window better.
Going for a walk, so you are leaving your house and the thoughts that trap you there. You get the idea. You don't need to book a cruise to Alaska to change your point of view.
Turning away from one thing and towards another is a powerful action. Your mind just might respond positively to that.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling? Do you need a new point of view today? Do you need a different scene when you look out the window of your thoughts?
Don't give up! There is hope for depression.
