Perspective – the choice is yours

My husband, a police officer, remarked to me recently the two predominant responses when parents with their children see him working in uniform.

Some parents will say educationally to their children: “There’s a police officer, if you’re ever in trouble, that’s who you go to, he’ll help”.

Other parents, will say educationally to their children: “There’s a police officer, if you do bad things, he’s going to lock you up”.

Two different perspectives on the same exact situation. Two different educational lessons taught to their children.

It reminded me of two of my favourite educational fables:

The first, two sales people are sent to Africa with the mandate: “sell shoes!” One calls home a week later asking to be relieved of duty – “no-one here wears shoes he says” hopelessness. The second calls after the first week stating “send more shoes – nobody here wear’s shoes!”

Two different perspectives on the same exact situation. Where one sees predestined failure, the other sees unlimited opportunity.

The second, twin sons of a hardened criminal were studied throughout their lives. One ended up behind bars, just like his father repeating many of the same mistakes. When questioned as to how he got there, he simply remarked “with a father and role model like that, how could I do anything else?” The second son ended up flourishing with a thriving career, a clean criminal record and a happy family. When questioned as to how he got there, he simply remarked “with a father and role model like that, how could I do anything else?”

Two different perspectives on the same exact situation. Where one saw no choice but to repeat the mistakes laid forth, the other used them as a road map for what not to do.

In life, we can’t always control what “happens” to us, or the situations we’re placed into. The only thing we do have control over is the way we adapt to and react to those situations and ultimately the perspective we choose to have over what has happened.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments