P O V

It matters where you sit

In a previous post I raved about Keith House, a quiet space that hosts some music and art events and is home to James Turrell’s 99^th Skyspace. During a recent sunset viewing, I sat in a different spot to stare at the square aperture while his light installation informed the way my brain processed the changing sky. I always marvel at the deep and vibrant colors of a sky that we often take for granted. At a certain point in the light sequence, a glass panel slides out of the way of the opening so that viewers are looking directly at the sky above. While watching in this new spot, I saw the panel move as it opened, revealing a bit of reality to the surreal experience. It did not take away from my time there. If anything, it reminded me that your Point Of View informs your perceived reality.

It matters where you sit.

The photo below shows one of the many hues the sky adopted that night as Turrell’s installation worked its magic. This photo has not been retouched or enhanced. The deep pinkish hue of the actual sky is what my phone camera caught during the Skyspace sequence.

This past Sunday, two more experiences reminded me of the importance of Point Of View. My Sunday school class was invited to go behind the scenes of the massive organ in the sanctuary. Those sitting in the pews see hundreds of pipes of various metals and even wood. It is an impressive sight. The biggest ones are 32 feet tall. One would never guess there are 6000 pipes behind a wall, occupying multiple rooms and levels reaching high to the vaulted ceiling. I am so thankful for our expert organist who creates majestic music heard on Sundays and during concerts, weddings, etc. Had I not had the opportunity to climb narrow ladders and squeeze into doorways to view the hidden world of a pipe organ, I may have never given thought to what lurked behind the scenes. Those sitting in the pews are only privy to a small percentage of reality.

Look beyond your first impression. There is always more to what you perceive from a quick glance.

What can I learn from that simple lesson of looking beyond the surface to gain a new view? Maybe I should not be so quick to pinpoint a new acquaintance based solely on a comment that pushes my hot button regarding social injustice. One should not sum up the whole of a person based on the small percentage visible at first glance.

Sometimes being open to a new Point Of View has big rewards. Later, at the contemporary service, I purposefully sat on the other side of the aisle. I struck up a conversation with a women I had seen each Sunday, never having a chance to introduce myself. Turns out, she teaches pottery at a nearby studio. A class will be starting next month. You’d better believe I will be checking it out.

I would not have been privy to that opportunity had I returned to my habitual spot.

Habitual. What are you doing over and over, on autopilot? How could taking a different route, turning to a side, or going behind the scenes shake your world view?

Sometimes it is as simple as going off the beaten path, taking a new route on a daily commute. When traveling, I like to turn around as the rest of the group is facing toward a sight, cameras and phones clicking. I came across the abandoned building below when I walked away from our group while in Kenya. So many stories and wonders percolated as I captured the image. I find hope for a future in solid structures going to seed, to be returned to the earth while decay and rot take hold. There is beauty in that cycle, a reminder that… To everything there is a purpose, a time to reap, a time to sow, a time for every purpose under heaven…to paraphrase Ecclesiastes and the popular song by The Byrds in the 60s.

Speaking of Point of View – in literary terms it is the lens through which the reader learns the story. My first novel THE ART COLONY is written in first person. Readers learn about Mandy’s world through her eyes and thoughts. I will be posting the next three chapters here this Friday. Subscribers will receive email notices or can access the post through the Substack app. As always, thanks for your encouragement by the pure act of reading my words! It is my pleasure to share this story with my writing and reading world.