I recently finished reading a book called The Poisonwood Bible (which, by the way, is GREAT in case you’re looking for a good book to read), and it really got me thinking.

The story follows a woman and her four daughters who are forced to live in the Congo by their obsessive father. It traces the struggles of the Congo during Belgian rule and unravels the stories of the girls as they turn into women and deal with the lasting effect that Africa had on them.

While reading, I quickly realized that not everyone can simply whip up some ramen noodles and call it a day. I realized that for some people death is literally around every corner and that in certain places, days could pass without the opportunity to drink clean water. However, those unfair aspects of life are taught to us pretty early on in our lives; I didn’t need a book to tell me about them.

There were other lessons in the book that struck me on a different level, particularly because Barbara Kingsolver, the author, wrote so eloquently and convincingly about them. One thing she deeply explored in the novel was the idea of perspective, and how it changes life so drastically.

It has always been clear to me that I see life and my surroundings from unique eyes and with an individual mind, but I’ve never realized how much that can truly change things.

In a distinct scene in the book, the Congolese village that the family is living in goes on a group hunt and kills dozens of animals in order to survive. In many places, this may seem wrong, or even savage. However, in this situation, it was simply a means of seeing another day. It all depends on how you look at it.

Perspective not only applies in drastic situations like this one, but in our everyday lives. Sometimes, we must learn to alter our perspectives in order to see the truth in situations. In a way, it’s like walking a few miles in someone else’s shoes.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that sometimes something can seem really bad, but when looked at in another perspective, it makes sense.

Everything is situational, and we all see in entirely different ways. However, I believe it can be valuable to learn to look from other people’s eyes.