A Wide Angle Lens

A photographer—intently absorbed—claims a view of the world that only they can see.

Have you ever witnessed this?

Artists, they are. Looking through the lens, their minds create, think, and adjust…striving for the best way to express a moment. Changing lenses, adjusting lighting, or altering their own physical position is part of the process of doing their work. The right lens, with just the right light, elements, and angle, in any setting, can capture an emotion and achieve pure beauty. Breathtaking.

The wide—angle lens intrigues me. It gives context and depth to a picture, especially in landscapes. It offers a sweeping perspective that captures a moment or scene. To me, it feels like an invitation to consider something differently by viewing it from an all-encompassing angle. Impressive.

Considering context in anything is powerful and beautiful, not just in photography. It makes a thoughtful response easier. My Army life as an Army wife demonstrated this to me almost daily. As a new military spouse, I felt as though nearly everything was reframed, prompting me to see it differently. Even the alphabet became: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie…all the way to Zulu! Additionally, I was firmly introduced to the principle that a timely RSVP shows kindness, gratitude, and respect—and that it should be communicated within 48 hours! Finally, I learned about the daily honor given at 5 p.m. on any military installation to our country and those who have given their lives for our freedom. Vehicles stop. The gate guards stand in salute. Outdoor movement ceases. People position themselves toward the flag or the music in those quiet, respectful moments. My hand is over my heart. It is a beautiful, thoughtful response. Honor.

In short, the military looks at everything from a wide-angle perspective! The term I learned to understand this approach is Situational Awareness. Today, these two words are used throughout culture. Business, finance, education, and faith communities are speaking Situational Awareness into their work. I believe this concept carries untold benefits for change and healing within families as well. Practiced consistently, it builds relational health! Love—it is—with distinctive muscle!

Through my 12th-mile journey, Eric Greitens’ book Resilience spoke loudly to many of the challenges our family was called to face. A former Navy SEAL, Greitens, summarizes the idea of Situational Awareness this way:  

1. Why am I here?

2. What is going on around me

3. What am I going to do about it?

4. How will my actions affect others? (Greitens 2015, 202-203)

Tomorrow is the 250th birthday of the United States of America! Praise God! Since our earliest beginnings, we have struggled to be more compassionate and situationally aware. We have had our setbacks and our victories. We have grown in awareness as we have done life together. There is much to be grateful for.

From July 1 through July 3 of 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, occurred. It was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. In the aftermath, people asked whether the struggle was worth it. Would everything in this war be a colossal, wasted effort? President Lincoln himself was completely dejected and grief-stricken over the horrendous loss of life: over 50,000 casualties in that 3-day struggle! These emotions would surface four months later at the dedication of a new National Cemetery established on the battlefield where that fight took place. At this ceremony, Lincoln affirmed the critical truth that the country was grappling with. It was the truth that gave birth to the United States in the first place: All men are created equal. His historic speech, known as The Gettysburg Address, took only about 2 minutes to deliver! In its brevity, Lincoln articulately reminded everyone that awareness of the preciousness of life for all people matters—in that moment in 1863—and for all the moments yet to be born. He challenged his listeners, saying that their decision to struggle then would impact America’s tomorrows, for it would set the course of the nation and even affect it 250 years later, in 2026. Lincoln concludes his historic address this way: “we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” 

We have been created in the image of a perfect Creator. And all life matters!

Happy Birthday, United States of America!

May we always seek to grow in our awareness that we are indeed a nation founded under God… no matter the situation.

With Love,

Louise Ann

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord….Psalm 33:12

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends…John 15:13

Greitens, Eric . 2015. Resilience: Hard-won Wisdom for Living a Better Life. 1st ed. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Lincoln, Abraham. “The Gettysburg Address.” Speech, Gettysburg, PA, November 19, 1863. https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.24404500/?st=text .

 

 

 

 

 

 

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