Change in Perspective

Late last night, the toddler in the apartment overhead rhythmically jumped on their uncovered hardwood floors, sounding like cannon booms through our ceiling. At least it seemed that loud as I was under the covers trying to sleep.

It's a downside of apartment life. I remind myself we are not perfectly quiet either, as my husband turns up the TV volume to hear it in the galley kitchen.

She is only a little girl, I tell myself, about three years old and does not know that I am under her floorboards trying to sleep. Her parents may be unaware that insulation is non-existent in this building, and we hear every footstep - let alone jumping rope or whatever she is doing that moment. We haven't mentioned it to them...

A disturbing thought rose from my cranky, sleep-deprived ego after a stress-filled day ~ "Someone should shoot that little--" I put a stop to that thought immediately, horrified and repulsed, even if I didn't mean literally "shoot" her, but just find some way to silence the noise.

After shoving that rude thought aside, I turned to God in prayer. At this point, a layer of angel feathers between floors would be a great Blessing. Right? Or how about some earplugs that would not worsen my ear-infection? I got a Blessing, but in a different form...

"Would you welcome God if (S)He wanted to visit tonight?" 

I thought, "In my dreams? Sure!" In fact, that would be something to look forward to... if I could only get to sleep with all that pounding upstairs!

"Would you welcome God in the form of a three-year old girl jumping overhead?"

WHOA!

I admit, I didn't see that one coming. But it is true; God's Spirit is within each of us, as well as beyond space and time. God is in that little girl, happily playing like little girls do.

Reluctantly, I accepted this and let it sink in. The pounding continued, but I found Peace. God is within me too, and letting go of the animosity of the moment was the only way I could accept God and Peace.

I don't know how much longer the jumping continued, but for me, I could no longer hear it. I vaguely remember hearing the water running for her bath as I drifted off in a peaceful lullabye to beautiful dreams.

What a world of difference a change in perspective brings.