PERSPECTIVE

Idries Shah tells the story of a four year old boy who was taken by his nursemaid each day to see a statue of General Gordon mounted on a camel in a park in the city of Khartoum. When the family was leaving Khartoum, the little boy asked to be taken to the park one last time to say good-bye to General Gordon. "I shall miss you General Gordon," the boy said, gazing at the statue— and as they were turning away, the boy asked the nursemaid, "Nanny, who is that man on General Gordon's back?" Sometimes the reason things aren't quite working out for us is that we need a different perspective. We need to change, not what we are seeing, but the way we are seeing it. Like the little boy who assumed that the camel was General Gordon, we too at times make assumptions based on an erroneous perception of reality. When we feel stuck, let's shift our focus so that we see things from a new point of view. Many times, a simple shift of perspective will free up new energy and inspiration from deep within us.