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Being a parent, I continue to learn more and more things about myself and life in general. It’s amazing how life can change when you see things from a different perspective…a perspective that is still young and unpolluted by the world.

My six-year-old son and I were recently playing a game of disc golf. For those of you that may not know about the “sport”, it’s a silly game, really. Walking through the woods, throwing a frisbee at a metal basket. And while it does seem like a silly activity, the reason I love playing the sport with him is not so much because of the “game,” as it is the time I get to spend with him. There’s something about being in nature, undistracted from the bustle of life and being able to spend some “dad/son” time…walking, talking, and sometimes just being quiet and not saying anything at all.

During our recent disc golf outing, Rollins began saying a phrase that I hadn’t heard him say before. “It’s a good thing…” he would say after one of our throws went awry. “It’s a good thing it didn’t get stuck in the tree, dad.” “It’s a good thing it didn’t go in the water.” “Dad, it’s a good thing you didn’t hit that car with your frisbee.” Hole after hole, one of us would make a shot that didn’t quite go as planned. But instead of getting angry or frustrated, as is and was often my reaction, Rollins rather would take a different perspective. “It’s a good thing you didn’t fall in the water when getting that frisbee out, dad!”

Becoming slightly irritated, at first, with his annoying optimistic outlook after my bad shots made me want to ask him to keep his comments to himself – I refrained. But shot after shot, (or should I say bad shot after bad shot), his encouragement reminded me of my own outlook of life. Rollins was thankful. Not only was he thankful, but he was expressing his thankfulness. What an incredible perspective.

How often I go through an experience, or make an observation, and only see the negative. But how difficult is it, really, to simply see the good in each circumstance? Despite the bad that may exist, or have the potential to exist, what would be different about my life if I simply see the good? Or better yet, what would be different about the lives of those around me?

Oh, to see the world through the eyes of a six year old. But for now, I’ll continue to see the world through my own lens, and just remember the lessons I’ve learned along the way. And next time something goes awry, I’ll try to remember the lesson I learned from a six year old…”It’s a good thing…”

Until next time,

Steven Campbell
Executive Director