Good News
“I have got some good news.”
“You do?” I replied.
“Monday is my birthday.”
I must admit I love it when my perspective is challenged. You know, when someone makes a comment and it causes you to see the ordinary differently? I think times like this keep my mind from numbing out. You know, it is like asking someone where the sky is. Most of the time they look way up and say up there. My reply is, I think it starts at the very end of your eye.
Perspective is an amazing thing.
My friend's good news birthday made my perspective alarm go off. Most people do not consider it "good news" that their birthday is near. Maybe they are happy, sad, excited or even loathsome--but for it to be good news, that seemed different.
I asked about this good news, wanting to find out about this new perspective. She told me it would be a day to party. She would be with friends. The whole day would be about her. All of these seemed to fit my current perspective, but I still did not understand the good news part. My friend continued, “My birthday is the day I realize I lived another year, and the streets did not take my life.”
My perspective just changed. I see birthdays as a time that will naturally happen, and she does not. Her eyes, open to the reality that she may not make it from birthday to birthday, have a different perspective. The good news this year is she made it. As for next year, only May 2007 will tell. When this ton-of-bricks perspective hit me, I hugged her and said I hope you have the best birthday ever.
Ordinary words like good and news can cause one's perspective to be challenged. People have a great many perspectives about these words: good and news. Maybe they need to be used in conversations more often. Do you think they will cause anyone to ask about our Good News?