Perspective

Perspective is something that I have come to appreciate as I have become older and more mature. It's a way that I can relate the situations and circumstances that define my life and be able to maintain a sense of understanding and peace. I've always been a 'glass half full' person and I give most of the credit to having a strong sense of perspective; "there's always something worse that could happen."

It was Water Wednesday today at the local park and with the temperature above 70 by 10 am I had decided to load up Grace and my niece Justin and head over for some fun and water play. Justin is 9 and rode her bike, and I got in a good workout pushing Grace in our jogging stroller. The walk is only about 15 minutes but we were ready to cool off when we got there! We played with friends, ate a picnic lunch and played some more. Once it became clear that it was nap time we headed home.

Along the way, as I maneuvered the stroller over railroad tracks my iphone must have hopped out of the cup holder. I didn't notice until a block later. Unfortunately, in this area my phone was a goner the second it was out of my sight. I was pretty bummed, there are a lot of great pictures and videos from the last week of Grace and Justin and I hadn't had a chance to back them up yet. I was also ticked off that someone instantly picked it up, disabled the GPS, and turned it off. Thanks to Apple however, Paul was able to remotely wipe the phone clean so all my personal information is gone. But now I need a new phone, the stuff was lost, I had to face reality that there are bad people with no integrity etc etc etc.

But again, I'm a glass half full kind of girl. And today, of all days, I am glad that it was my iphone that was stolen.

An hour earlier while at the park Grace was running around like a mad woman. My monster was all over the place! She darted from activity to activity like a kid in a candy shop. So at one point I was sitting with Jessica when all the little kids walked over to a sprinkler with Jessica's sister. Two minutes later I glanced over to check on them and Grace was no where to be seen.

Now any parent knows the feeling I felt. First, a little nervous but still assured that I would spot her any second. Then as the seconds went by (which felt like minutes) I became more concerned, and finally as the minutes went by (feeling like hours) I began to feel devastated. While I am searching every possible place in the area I am feeling as though my world is crashing around me. I am so instantly scared that my biggest fear has come true. I lost my daughter. I let her down, I can't account for her, protect her, comfort her or care for her.

I'm sure it was only a matter of minutes but Jessica found Grace. She had spotted a swing set across the entire park and had made a bee line. Once she got there and realized she was alone she got upset. So it must have been a relief to see her Aunt, but things were not okay until we were reunited. I don't think I have ever felt so many emotions as I held my crying child; rubbing her back, cooing to her, hugging her, and at the same time comforting myself.

The rest of the day I have been recovering. I've had to stop running through the what-if's because I don't think I could handle it. But the point is she is okay, I am okay, we are together. It is by the power and grace of God and it was His will that she was protected and returned to me. For that I am grateful in way that is unexplainable.

So I guess I have a new perspective, after a day like today, my glass is running over. I will praise Him for what He has done for me and tomorrow I will buy a new phone.