The Power of Point of View

When you think about it, the world is filled with an infinite number of different points of view. Everyone views every situation slightly differently. 

When I was eleven years old, I was into theatre. On August 18th, 2018, I had my first big performance: Beauty and the Beast. Following my performance, just an hour after, I was rushed out of the theatre by my father and (soon-to-be-stepmother) to a nature trail where I was placed in a portable chair and thrown a bag of candy. That's when I realized: my father and stepmother were getting married. Right there. On that trail. Immediately. Sitting there, I could feel the tension between my internal thoughts and the external reality I was suddenly thrust into. My role as a child witnessing this moment felt awkward—why wasn’t I included in the decision? The disconnect between my perspective and the large events unfolding around me was shocking. My father and stepmother's point of view was focused on the joy of starting a new chapter in their lives together, believing it had to be done as soon as possible. As I reflect on this event once again after our past lessons on point of view and the story "Roselily", Roselily's internal conflict arises from the tension between her desires and society's view that her life would be better if she embraced a marriage that aligned with their expectations. I found myself caught between my own perspective of wanting to savor my own achievement and the overwhelming reality of the marriage taking place in front of me. The clash of perspectives—my internal desire and control over my experience, versus the external realities and my families decisions— mirrors Roselily's struggle to reconcile her personal wishes with overwhelming expectations imposed upon her. This reminded me about how the lens through which each of us sees the world can completely transform our understanding of any single moment. 


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