By Design

     Design class, even now (over 25 years later) the thought of that class leaves me in dread.  It was a prerequisite for all other art classes at my high school -- even my beloved photography.  So, like many before me and after me I took the dreaded class.  It DEFINITELY taught me a few unexpected things like I am not as bad as an artist as I thought.  Allow me to rephrase, I learned that I am capable of more than I thought.  In fact most of us are capable of a lot more than we give ourselves credit for in our own minds.  Sorry, we are more serious today.
     One of my favorite topics in that dreaded design class was perspective drawing.  It transformed me.  I went from not being able to draw a straight line to drawing incredible buildings.  Architecture here I come!  Well, maybe not right now or for the next decade or two.   Learning about perspective really was a life lesson I reflect upon today.  No, I'm not just talking about walking in someone else's shoes for a mile or two -- although it is a good thing to do before you judge them.  I'm talking about a bigger issue here.  One that was reinforced today when my eldest and youngest watched a movie from my teenage years.  Yes, I really was a teenager at one time.   I'll be honest, the music was just as cool but the movie reminded me about perspective.
     Once upon a time, ... no wait, we were talking about perspective.  In the movie the hero struggles with making a difference in his town.  He struggles with the significance of his own life.  Years ago, I understood that struggle.  To be honest it is something I still struggle with but today I looked at it in a totally different way.  Now, I am able to see what the hero was unable to see.  He already HAD made a difference in the town.  His presence had disrupted the heroine's previous relationship and she is forever changed (in a good way).  People in the town were talking about the hero.  Some of it was good and some of it was bad but they were looking at life differently because of him.  Even before he tried to change things, he had already caused many to rethink their thinking. 
     The same is true for us.  We often don't see the impact we have.  We don't realize that we are so much more than we originally thought.  You have an impact.  Your life is significant.  Allow me to rephrase.  YOU MATTER!  Don't ever forget that.