Perspective

This week, I learned that my reflection in the mirror could actually look worse than my already low opinion of my appearance.  The morning after my fall, I realized it was more serious than I first thought.  I felt the pain of a broken nose, but there was more.   I also knew there were some serious injuries on my right leg and left side of my rib cage, but those injuries didn't affect my appearance . . . so much.  The banged up face looking back in the mirror, gave me a new perspective.  As I stood there surveying the damage, thoughts of a different nature came to mind.

Returning to my memory was a comment I had made to YHWH just a few weeks earlier.  Through a time of remembering the "not so good old days" of an abusive relationship and mainstream healthcare dependence, I simply thanked Abba that He had brought me through those days and I regretted having lost my "original" nose to abuse and reconstructive surgery.  I'm now believing, once the swelling subsides, the old tribal proboscis will be restored.

When I saw the injured place on the side of my face, a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation washed over me.  Just above my cheekbone, less than an inch from the outside corner of my eye, and a fraction of an inch from my temple is a contusion about the size of a quarter.  I'm not sure what I hit, but I am so thankful, whatever I hit hard enough to leave that injury, did not hit my eye or temple.  There is a cut under my lower lip that looks like it was probably done by my upper teeth.  Also included was a laceration on the bridge of my nose, broken skin down the side of my nose, including nosebleeds for days, and a scrape over my eyebrow.  In all of that, though; none of the injuries even remotely looked like stitches were needed.

When I spoke with my friend regarding the arrangements for her husband, I did have just a moment of wishing I didn't look so rough to be attending, but it wasn't about me, so . . . end of that thought.  Undeniably, I do look a little rough right now, I'm still the same person I am when I'm just my usual not so glamorous self.  As I consider my bumps, scrapes, contusions, and pains; I find myself truly looking forward to being restored to my "old me."  As it turns out, my old uninjured, unswollen self isn't so bad after all.   I didn't realize what a superficial perspective I've had of myself.  I'm thankful to have this new perspective.