Realms of Perspective

Outside my
window lies countless worlds that live together in perfect harmony. Some of
which can only be seen through certain perspectives. The primordial world of
ice and snow in the north and south of the vast endless deserts covered in
scorching sand. To some people, their view outside is quite dull. To plain skyscrapers
blocking your view to the mid-day rush on the streets. Somewhere there is a
little child, who everyday looks outside his window to the great beyond, a
young bird ready to leave its nest to see what lies just beyond the horizon.
Our understanding isn’t as vast as we think. We are near-sighted, we see the
minor details of a beautiful plant but not the forest itself being destroyed.
We see the beating of the hummingbird wing but not the ash and smoke
suffocating the environment. The fairy-tale princesses see their hero through
the dungeon bars. The businessmen see the money opportunities at every turn.
The very caring conservationists see the vast destruction of wild-life, but
some of them don’t even know the causes. The grand-parents take pride in seeing
the feats their children have accomplished and have now passed on to their
children. Ironically, the greatest of the great visionaries see the most
advanced dreams but not the smallest miscalculations. What about me? What do I
see outside my window? I do not see an ordinary view of the city. I see an
opportunity to change the world for the better. I see the bigger picture. I see
the problems and faults not only in the existing world but in myself: the
changeable and the permanent flaws. There are times however when I am blind; I
do not see anything because of all the distractions around me. I make it my
mission to accomplish things that are not required to be done, I look for
problems within the flawless and sometimes I look for the faults in even the
most upbeat of moments. This was all an illusion which I had to break free of.
I needed to realize that nothing lasted forever, I had to make the most of
everything I already had. Look beyond the frames of your window. There are
worlds of opportunity waiting for you, if only you take the chance to expand
your perspective, rid yourself of all your petty distractions, and take a leap
of faith. No matter where you are you will always, despite the troublesome
process, make it to a place that will suit you and your ability best. Trust in
yourself and make the decisions that no one else is willing to make, find your
own opportunities, and seize the chance.

Just as I put the pen down I sighed a breath of relief. There
was only one day left to submit the essay and I had barely made it past the
minimum requirements. Glancing out my window, I noticed the sun slowly setting
on the horizon, people were still walking their dogs. What an odd topic to
choose for an essay, I thought to myself, but I don’t suppose I could have come
out with any better ideas. It was very painful trying to brainstorm ideas for
such an unusual topic. Suddenly, almost as if it was invoked by my thought,
pain flared in my chest, almost unbearable. I glanced outside my window,
nothing was as it should be. The orange sky looked almost yellow, the ocean in
the distance was green and the smoke from the oil rigs was bright purple. The
buildings were slanted and the roads never-ending. Did I have something for
lunch that had gone bad? Did I maybe hit my head somewhere without me knowing?
Or perhaps this was all just a figment of my imagination and I was simply
losing my wits and going insane. I surely hoped that the last possibility wasn’t
the situation I was in at present. Sanity is the last thing I would want to
lose in a time like this, where the world is trapped behind its own windows.
Odd that I used that expression however, I finally understood why they had
selected the topic in a time like this. My head was spinning at my discovery,
“first things first,” I thought to myself just as the pain rose in intensity. My
head throbbed as I made my way towards the bathroom door and flung it open.
Inside I found a long corridor filled with hospital beds and an invisible
heart rate monitor beeping in the background. As I forged ahead, I kept going
through newer environments: My School Corridor, A burning bridge, and a winding
staircase. After what seemed like an eternity I entered a room full of purple
mist. The pain in my chest had stopped, though I wasn’t sure why. There was a
large glass pane under my feet, it was very cracked. A cold feeling of dread
settled into my stomach. That wasn’t a glass pane, it was a window. The window
gave away to my weight and I fell into the endless void. Suddenly, with a loud
snap, I was back in my bedroom and covered by my blankets. “Was it all a
dream?” I thought to myself, “Surely you can’t feel pain in dreams.” I looked
outside my window one last time, the sun had not set and no time had passed. I
was certain about one thing however, from this day forth I was never going to
be the same again. I felt nauseated knowing how I could be affected by the most
simple of illusions. Isn’t that what my essay was warning readers against? I
had been focusing on writing this essay for the winning prize. But now, I
already have my own prize. It is the willpower to break free of all the
distractions that have been placed in my way throughout my life. At present, however, I was exhausted and my body was completely numb. I blacked out just as
the last rays of light were leached from the dark night sky.

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