“Come look at it from my perspective,” said the woman next to me. “You’ll be able to see a lot more clearly.”
And no, she was not talking about politics, or mandated masks, or climate fueled wildfires. She was talking about a grizzly bear peeking behind a fallen tree out in a meadow.
Recently, my husband and I were on a road trip to Yellowstone National Park, a repeat of a trip we took back in 1973. In our youth, we had camped in a leaky canvas tent, cooked over a crotchety Coleman stove, and slept beside a singing stream.
This time around we nixed the camping but still sought out all the pristine beauty and wildlife we could find through hikes, picnics, and roads less traveled. Despite the 48 years that have passed, we were astounded even more by the grandeur of the national parks.
But some of the moments that impressed me the most were the kindness of strangers who gave up their viewpoint for me to spot the grizzly, or wolves, or whatever wildlife we were lucky enough to encounter.
“If you stand right in front of me, you can see her ears and the silver top of her head,” the woman continued.
I protested at blocking her view, but she insisted. And because of such generous acts of kindness, I was able to see that grizzly, plus many other amazing sights including two wolves scouting out a buffalo herd, a family of elk, or the best view of a waterfall.
All of which reminded me how important it is to look through the lens of another’s eyes.
So I have to wonder, what was that grizzly bear’s perspective?
I’m Marnie O. Mamminga, and that’s my Perspective.
