There were a few friends with the girls in the hospital room. I decided now was a good time to leave them and Ron and run home to shower and change out of the clothes I had been wearing the last few days.

It was late and dark as I headed away from the hospital.  Those of you that know me well know I have a thing for downtown areas.  After living in St. Louis for a few years I always wanted to live somewhere that had a beautiful downtown.  It is one of the things that make me love Jacksonville.  I love going downtown just to drive around and look at the buildings and I absolutely love seeing the lights of the city at night.

Our family had just been downtown the weekend before for the Christmas Tree Lighting and the fireworks at the Landing (a favorite tradition of ours if we are in town at Thanksgiving).

The trauma center that the girls had been rushed to after their accident was on the other side of the city, so my drive home included coming across the river on a different bridge than we normally cross.  As I rounded a corner on the interstate, I saw it.  My city all lit up.  My heart felt so full as I looked at the beauty of it.  I actually found myself slowing down so I could take it all in and since it wasn't my usual drive, it was a different view of the city.

 In an instant I was in the middle of a holy moment.  Tears started welling up in my eyes and I heard God speak into my spirit.  "You are going to see your world from a different perspective."  The rest of the drive home was filled with sweet communion with God.  I thanked Him for what He was doing in the girls’ lives and us as a family as I once again committed my heart to His plan for us.

It was almost a week later when I brought Erica home and had to run to the pharmacy to pick up her medicines.  I was surprised when I saw the line of people at the pharmacy.  As I joined the back of the line I felt no aggravation for the wait.  Instead my mind started to wonder what their stories were...

I wanted to reach out and hug the elderly lady right in front of me.  I wondered if she was picking up medicine for some illness or disease she was fighting or if she had a sick husband at home that she is caring for.  I wondered if she had people around her, as we did, helping her during this time.

My view was different and I felt it on every level.

And I prayed right there in that line...

'God, help me never forget!'

Help me never forget what I realized these past few weeks.  During my day when I had interacted with people and they were short with me.  Did they realize I had two daughters lying in hospital beds and I was on my way back to them?

When people in passing would smile and say, "Hi, how are you?"  I just smiled back knowing they had no idea what was going on in my life.

Or the person who honked their horn at Ron the day of the accident.  He got out of the line of traffic to pass cars as he drove in the emergency lane to get to the scene.  They had no idea where he was trying to get to in such a hurry.

As I've seen others these last few days, my view is different.

I know there is a story behind what I am seeing.

I'm seeing things from a different perspective...

It’s refreshing, it's heartbreaking and

it’s oh, so beautiful.

Happy New Year Perspective!