Perspective; definition:
"A mental view or outlook"
In discussing a current perspective, it relates to how I am viewing my age and along with my age, the physical abilities that are somewhat derailed by this so-called ageing process. However, my mental outlook with regards to my abilities is very optimistic, perhaps even overly enthusiastic, coupled with just a tiny dose of denial, with potential to lead to a danger zone. Pretty normal stuff when you're as stubborn as I am and refuse to "grow up". What IS that anyways?!
Case in point, a call for staff at the school where I work to play basketball against the Grade 8's and 9's who have just completed the Basketball segment of their gym classes piqued my interest and apparently scrambled my brains. No sooner had the email arrived and I was responding, "If you need players, I played quite a bit of B-ball in my day." And yes, I did, but that was (or felt like) just a few "days" ago. Cue the Globetrotters basketball game music, and visions of behind the back passes, magical layups and 3 point shots were dancing around my head as soon as I hit the pillow that night. Right, then...practise before the game...if there is time. When I told him, hubby raised an eyebrow, grinned and wished me well, reminding me that it might be a bit painful afterwards. And, did I really know what I was getting myself into? Of course I knew...
Game morning; all the kids from Grade 1 to 9 showed up to watch the game. On to the court I strode, scanning the gym for all of our players...which turned out to be myself, 2 other female staff members, and 3 male teachers. And on the other side of the court, about 6 or 7 each of male and female students in Grade 8 and 9, running, jumping, shooting baskets with the ball swishing easily through their hoops.
"Yay, Mrs. Visser", we're here to cheer for you! Come on, Mrs. Visser, you can beat them" ...the voices and cheers grew louder, and the game began. Not two minutes into the game, somehow, without any warning, the gym floor collided hard with my left knee, down I went, and in getting up, I felt a serious pull in my right groin! Great, but the team needed me; the game must go on, so I gritted my teeth and with fierce determination fought the end to end battle. With the crowd going wild I managed to launch some shots and get 2 or 3 baskets to aid in a victory for the staff side. Team handshakes, team photos, and it was all over, except for the pain, and I was off to the fridge to grab an ice pack for my knee; those that are generally reserved for the students bumps, sprains, and bruises.
And then the optimistic perspective started to roll around in my brain once again....hmmm.....if I work out more in the gym, practise some layups, work some shots and some defensive plays, it could go a lot better next time, especially if I DON'T get injured within the first 5 minutes of the game. I should also probably review how to play "zone" and that other technical stuff you should know in order to play properly...perhaps I should research all of that in the library before I have more visions of basketballs dancing in my head...but it sure was nice to hear a positive comment about my game from the male "gunner" on the Grade 9 team...a comment which may have gone to my head just a little bit...so maybe there still is some basketball life left here...my mind says yes, oh yes, but my legs and groin are in slight disagreement and would like to have some time off, thank you very much!
Perspective Point 2;
In this case, I was devoted to play time with my grandson, and I believe one can lose the ease and sense of play if you don't see things from the perspective of a child. In this case, one who is just under a year old, and in the crazy-fast crawling stage. So what is the "right" thing to do when a baby is crawling away from you, giggling and laughing? You chase-crawl after them, of course! And in writing this post, I was blessed with crawl time before basketball injury time, so the crawling was knee-loose (instead of footloose) and fancy free, and we chased each other back and forth up and down our hallway, once with a dog trying to barricade the way, but we quickly ran over top of him, forcing him to change his perspective of the situation and escape the serious chase-crawlers for another room. We both ended up giggling, laughing, and catching our breath, enjoying each other through simple play and fun. Only in getting down to a child's level can one experience their world most effectively; the same holds true when trying to understand things from an animal's perspective on their world and how they view their surroundings.
An open mind frees your perspective and allows broader vision and thought to guide you through many different experiences. Reality does have to prevail in order to preserve your health and well-being, but as long as you are alive, you can do SOMETHING. Having a positive perspective keeps you young, fresh, alive, and what can be better than that?
Perhaps next I will dream of my grandson and I on the basketball court together....
