While I was driving the other day a pedestrian stepped into the street right in front of my pick-up truck. I slammed on my brakes, and he jumped backed back onto the sidewalk. All of the words to describe such an individual flooded into my mind; jerk, idiot and several forms of @#%**#@!!. The rest of my trip I amused myself thinking of all the ways this guy, and most pedestrians, were obstacles to the motoring public.

I arrived at my destination and parked. I started my walk from the parking lot and came to the corner of walk and don’t walk. I stepped into the street and the driver of a turning car I hadn’t seen slammed on the brakes. I jumped back onto the curb and the frustrated driver stared me down as he continued on his journey. The same descriptive words flooded my mind, then I thought how ironic it was that I had just experienced both sides of that scenario and felt I was the wronged party both times. Perhaps, I thought, a little self-evaluation was called for!

I was definitely wrong the second time- my bad!

For me, this scenario has played out many times in my life. I’m wondering, in print, if any of you have had the same experience?

Some of my “perspective moments” follow:

In our, almost completely, confrontational political environment I find myself tempted to go down the perspective road. 

Evidence is found that the guy I voted against has been taking bribes. What is my gut reaction? 

Give him the full penalty! Throw the book at him! He better get jail time, the last politician didn’t!!

These are legitimate feelings. My inner core truly, and profoundly, feels that nobody is above the law. I have spent over 35 years of my life working in the law enforcement field and I am very proud of the fact that I have lived up to the vows I took to uphold and obey the law- I’m no angel, but I am proud of the job I did, and the path I took. 

That being said, since we are on this “perspective” quest… How did I react when my guy was being accused? Suddenly, the answer was not as clear! I did not cry out, “Throw the book at him!” This time I believed he was innocent– it was very easy for me to believe the other guy was guilty; and easier to believe my guy was not.

I had to force myself to get all of the material, for and against, both of the accused. I had to question how, and why, reference each fact I accepted and each fact I didn’t.

Soul searching is hard. Completely honest soul searching is harder and, I feel, an unbiased decision on something I feel strongly about is difficult, if not impossible, for me to do.

I have a whole new respect for judges who recuse themselves from trials in which they have a personal relationship with the plaintiff, the accused or a key witness.

More food for thought:

When you are driving down the expressway what do you think when some driver comes shooting up behind and passes you like you were stopped? Are you thinking, where’s a cop when you need one? I hope there’s a speed trap ahead! I will laugh if I see him pulled over before my exit…

How does your perspective change when your alarm clock doesn’t go off and you end up leaving the house way late? Are you hoping there’s no cops on the road, no speed traps etc…?

What about kids misbehaving? I raised 7 kids and, believe me, I felt stares the few times my wife and I were able to go out to dinner with them. I was at Disney World with some of my grandkids and we saw a sour pussed couple several times in the week we were there. I studied them and can report with certainty that they were in their late 30’s and had no children. While I was behind them in a line, I heard the lady say to the man, “I wish they would keep all of the children out of here and have it adult only for one week. I would pay whatever they asked. Kids ruin everything!” The man agreed. 

I agree that, at times, kids can be a bit much- even my kids and grandkids, but I had to hold back my laugh when I heard the absurd thought of banning them from Disney World!

I would like to see their perspective change at some point. I know that won’t happen because I wouldn’t recognize them, I doubt, with their attitude, that they will ever have kids and if they do end up with kids- I would pity the fool who ends up with them as parents!

What about a neighbor’s dog barking? Do we have the same reaction when their dog barks as when our dog barks?

How about the person who brings too many items to the express checkout? That bothers me a lot! That, in fact, bothers me so much I would never do it- but I am still tempted to at times.

Thanks for reading this. Please comment about what you liked, what you didn’t, what your “perspective moments” are. 

Phil