New Perspective

Hey! Well, I definitely enjoyed my time in the States, but had to get back into the swing of things once I returned since I still had classes to attend. Monday's class went well since I was able to retain the new chapter that I studied over the weekend, but by Tuesday I had quickly regressed in that knowledge. I did have to remind myself that I did not study the three weeks I missed of class either. My teachers said that they were still impressed with my progress to this point and to keep practicing my tones and vocabulary and it will all come naturally soon enough.

I am going to shift the focus of my blog for a minute and share with you something that I have been pondering this weekend. I don't claim to have this all figured out or that I am even right in this matter - it is just what's on my heart that I would love to share with you. I would also welcome any thoughts or feedback that you may have on the matter.

I have been thinking about disappointment and how in life we all experience it in some form or fashion. Whether it is being disappointed in someone or in a situation, it is a natural part of life. In my process of thinking I started to wonder what life would be like if I viewed disappointment in a different way - if I gave a new definition to disappointment. Various dictionaries define "disappointment" as: dashing one's hopes, to be frustrated, to being defeated or a failure. What if instead the word was broken into two parts: 'dis' and 'appointment.' 'Dis' used as a prefix would mean: not, undo, or free from. And 'appointment' would mean: the act of selecting or designating someone to a position.

What if instead of viewing "disappointment" when a friend chooses to walk out of my life as being someone who is defeated, I instead viewed it as an opportunity of 'free form' for another person to be 'appointed to that position' in that season of my life? In place of being disappointed in people and choosing to close myself off to the world, what if I allowed room for others to become my friends? Would it change my perspective of disappointment and maybe even theirs?

What if instead of viewing "disappointment" when the hope I had of teaching English to Chinese Olympic athletes gets put on hold, and instead viewed it as an opportunity to 'undo' the obstacles standing in my way of 'appointing me to learn another language' so that lives can be changed? Would it change my perspective of disappointment?

And my answer to all of those questions is: YES! My perspective has changed and been opened up to a new realm of possibilities. I have realized that a lot of this journey is about learning more about who I am becoming and allowing myself to be appointed to the positions that were chosen for me by Someone who knows me better than I know myself. It is about allowing my life to be re-defined in order to allow for greater growth.

Thank you for continuing to read my blog as you allowed me the opportunity to express my thoughts there for a moment. I wish you all a continued happy and healthy new year!