31 Days: Day 1

Day 1: A new perspective

It’s a brand new year and many of us take this time to start fresh.

Today’s adventure is all about seeing things in a new and different light. Take a photo of something familiar from a new angle: up close; upside down; from above; from underneath.

What do you notice? What’s interesting? Unique?

I spent some time thinking about this challenge before I pulled out my camera. I kept coming back to Zoe, my darling 2 year old niece. I spent some time today just sitting on my floor, in different areas of my house, trying to see the world as she saw it. I was amazed at what I saw, and what simply disappeared. My first thought was it's no wonder children of that age get into the things they do. They simply see things we don't. They don't know that inside that box with a lid they can't lift, or behind the door they can't open, or on the shelf they can't reach, are toys and books and games. But that remote control within reach, that candle holder right at eye level, and those fun buttons on the dishwasher, are all right there. They don't always see or know where the more appropriate playthings are, and so they play with what is easily available.

But I noticed something else. The dirty dishes in the sink? Gone. The cluttered counters? Nope, not there either. The pile of laundry just looks like a colorful pile of clothes, even something more to play with. A 2 year old doesn't understand having to do the dishes first, or the need to sweep, or the pile of clothes that need to be folded. All they see is a mommy who can't play with them or read to them. Of course we understand these things have to be done, but maybe we need to pause every now and then and try to understand what it is a child sees, and how they see it. Maybe we can pretend the dishes aren't there, sit on the floor for a while, and try to see the world from the perspective of a 2 year old.