Written By Brian Lamb, our guest Dad for the take over of “Hustle Mom, Hustle” in honor of Father’s Day!
“You know what I am craving? A little perspective”. A quote from Anton Ego in Ratatouille the movie. One of our family all time favorites!
Merriam-Webster.com defines perspective: The capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance.
Wait, What?? Is it true relations or relative importance?
Education, experience, intelligence are all things that give many of us the confidence to form THE proper perspective. Being well informed is very valuable when navigating through our personal life and improving our professional career. To me, perspective is one of the most useful tools we keep in our life tool box, always at the ready.
Summertime brings thoughts of vacation and if you have kids who are home for the summer, you often try to plan a vacation within your financial means that would also be their greatest vacation ever. My family was lucky enough to go to Disney World in Florida for our latest trip. I had the experience of visiting Disney World before so I decide to take the household lead in planning the perfect itinerary. I did a lot of online research and spent time speaking to friends who had recently vacationed at the park. I was ready with the places to go, things to see and places to eat. With my perspective tool sharpened I had the ideal itinerary to maximize our fun.
Well maybe from my perspective an ideal approach. None of the below highlights were born from my ideal approach or planning!
Vacation highlights:
Colin (12yrs) second to last day of the trip Colin caught a 20 pound catfish on an old used fishing pole in a little pond near the hotel. Out of breath and smiling ear to ear he said, “Best part of the whole trip”.
Kiley (14yrs) absolutely loved the Harry Potter books and movies. Walking through Harry Potter World in Universal Studios we were surprised to notice that there was no real excitement or reaction from Kiley. We felt like missed the mark here. Later, in the car ride home, Mom notices Kiley looking through all of the pictures she took on her phone. Kiley had taken over 150 pictures of Hogwarts and Diagon Alley. She was secretly having “Her best day ever”.
Connor (9yrs) slept on a roll-out bed underneath a big screen tv. His favorite part of the trip was getting to sleep under the big TV and watch TV while he fell asleep each night. “That was the best part ever!” is what he told us about his sleeping arrangements.
I have learned my perspective is imperfect. And isn’t that the way it should be. Ever growing, improving and allowing for change. In the same way, my perspective on politics, parenting and relationships may be different from my neighbors but to dismiss their perspectives for differences only limits mine.
Anton Ego, the formal educated and experienced critic in Ratatouille knew the proper way restaurants should be managed and how food was to be prepared and then, his perspective was changed forever, by a rat! Keep your mind sharp and open! Know that your perspective is only your own and that you can learn from those around you and broaden your viewpoint. I am learning that from my kids and hope that I am teaching them along the way.
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