What an amazing view from up here…welcome dear friend, today I am sharing a special adventure I had with my daughter not too long ago…
I have prepared a lovely hot cuppa for us, depending on what you prefer tea, coffee or maybe a hot chocolate, I have them all…with some Gf cinnamon toast, as its cold today, our Autumn weather has finally arrived, yay…after a prolonged hot summer.
Let me set the scene for our reflection today;
It was a lovely hot summer’s day, when we decided to have an adventure, we often share lovely fun adventures together when visiting, we decided to play tourists for the day, I had not been to the new high rise building, so I was excited for us to share this experience together.
On arrival, we had our tourist photo taken on the ground floor, while waiting for the lift to take us to the 77th called Skypoint, as neither of us were keen to climb the 1,331 steps! Once in the lift, my daughter directed my attention to the ceiling to watch our ascent, we all looked up at the screen, within 42.7 seconds we had arrived! It was like being in a rocket without the effects of the G forces!
As we walked out of the lift & turned left, a breathtaking panorama greeted us, 360 degrees of spectacular views, from coastal views to the horizon, out to the hinterlands in the west…we lazily made our way around taking in the views, chatting & taking photos, as seen above! We ordered lunch & of course I had a cup of Earl Grey tea. The view below us was microscopic…people looked like tiny ants, traffic as toy cars & houses as miniature buildings…even other tall buildings were dwarfed!
Heights & our reactions to them are quite interesting, aren’t they…When I first approached the floor to ceiling windows on arrival, my instant reaction was to back off, this was an involuntary reaction on my part. My brain could not work out its depth perception & had decided I was in danger, so it sent an instant message to my body to react & back away from the perceived present danger before my conscious mind could override it!
We do this in many things don’t we…we find ourselves reacting, recoiling or backing away from a situation before we realize it…whether it’s a person, relationship or a real or perceived danger. This may be a wise & healthy course of action for us at the time, our subconscious mind may have picked up on a danger, that our conscious mind has been too busy or didn’t want to actually acknowledge. However our reactions may also be uncalled for, like mine, as I wasn’t in danger & was quite safe!
When we find ourselves reacting in this way, we need to gain a new perspective & look at the bigger picture of how we are feeling & why we are reacting to the situation. Prayer, God’s wisdom in His word & reflection are my first go too…chatting to our spouse, trusted friend, pastor or professional counselor also may help to bring things into perspective. I find journaling my thoughts down always a worthwhile practice… alternatively art, gardening, craft, listening to music or walking, can all be things, that give us time to process our thoughts & emotions.
We may find an old or new hurt, that hasn’t been totally healed or forgiven, has been triggered & actually has nothing to do with the present person or situation that has triggered these reactions in us. Maybe the situation or relationship has changed & there is a real & present danger to your wellbeing now! Or maybe you are sensing a change in the other party which has bought a different dynamic into the relationship, this may need to be gently approached with them, regarding what you’re sensing, as they may be going through something they haven’t shared with you.
By drawing apart we can sort through these thoughts, feelings & reactions, some will seem insignificant & others will be very significant. Just like the view from the 77th floor you can see the bigger picture once you see the view in its entirety & gain wise insight through a new heavenly perspective!
Well our cinnamon toast is only crumbs left on the plate now, our cups are drained of their refreshment…until next time dear friend…
Jennifer
Copyright: teawithjennifer.blog All rights reserved. Photos by Pexels.
Love this!
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Thank you! Lovely to have you drop by!
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I am thinking that maybe the step back in order to gain perspective is an necessary step.
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Always a wise move Bernadette.
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Our bodies send us reliable signals, but also can confuse past dangers with present safe situations. We certainly need to check out the present as you did on that high floor.
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Yes Elizabeth it is always a good idea to see what is going on before we dismiss our instincts or feelings.
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Thanks for understanding my comment.
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A pleasure Elizabeth, I could see where you were coming from…
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What beautiful photos – and such a great experience. I’m not sure I could have convinced my brain that I was safe:) That is really up there!! Glad we have our instincts – and the Holy Spirit – to nudge us, even stop us in our tracks, and how wise to stop, listen and know where the feelings are from. Thanks for sharing….glad to have found your blog today!
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You’re welcome Jennifer, lovely to have you over for a cuppa!
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What great post! Sometimes we do have to step back and take time for some much needed self-examination. At times it can be the simplest thing, something we thought we had moved beyond, that will peak out from the shadows and let us know, “hey, I’m still here. What are you gonna do about me.” At those times we can choose to ignore it, stuff it away, or deal with it. It is to our benefit to deal with it in order to become better.
Thanks for this. I really enjoyed the read, and your photos are absolutely gorgeous!
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Thank you, so glad you joined me on the 77th floor! Reflection is always a good idea!
Jennifer
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It’s interesting isn’t it, the hard wire response. Sometimes we need it and sometimes we have to fight against it. Thanks for the lovely post today.
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Yes, as a clinical therapist I find it fascinating!
You’re welcome & lovely having you drop by!
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What an amazing view! I love the lesson you draw out too- it is important to take a step back at times and think about why we are responding in a particular way that might have very little to do with the present situation.
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Yes, we don’t reflect enough today, life gets so busy, but we need to!
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You know, I don’t take a step back often enough to analyze why I feel upset/angry/grumpy about different situations. Thank you for the reminder that I need to be looking for unresolved hurts and issues!
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You’re welcome Anita.
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Jennifer those are some pretty awesome shots from the 77th floor. I also get a bit nervous when up there. I remember being on one of the twin towers before the attack and feeling like I was on top of the world. I think it even had a glass floor which made me even more nervous.
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Goodness, a glass floor, would have been too much for me! You were brave!
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What a stunningly beautiful sight! I confess that I would have been skittish at that height and looking down as well. I am pretty confident of that given my response to a tram to a very high ski lodge on the top of a mountain in Alberta, Canada, some years ago. It had seemed like a good venture and I was fine going up and looking ahead, but going back down and watching created some odd sensations.
So happy to get to this email of your post. We were away for the weekend in MD celebrating our son-in-law’s 50th birthday and when I am away for 5 days everything stacks up it seems.
Hope you are well and enjoying the beginning of autumn. Fall is my absolute favorite season.
Hugs,
Pam💕
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Thank you Pam, how lovely to spend time with your son! What does MD stand for?
Nice to have you back!
I think our response in those situations with depth perception…is fascinating.
Yes our Autumn is lovely…I enjoy both Autumn & Spring here in this part of the world. Although it is getting rather cold at night now, which is nice for a warm & snug sleep.
Sending hugs to you too!
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MD stands for the stat of Maryland….our son-in-law and daughter live there with 4 of our grandchildren.
Autumn here usually means bluest skies, cool temperatures and lower humidity, beautiful fall foliage on our trees, and enjoying crackling fires, hot cups of yummy things, and soft comforters.
It was a sunny beautiful day here after many rainy days. It was low humidity and high in the mid-70’s, but it is going to get more humid in the next couple of days. Humidity and I do not get along well. I get cranky and am usually already warm so the humidity with the heat doesn’t help my disposition.
Take care, my friend!💕
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Thank you for the explanation…You take care too Pam.
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I had a similar reaction when I went to the observation deck in the Sears Tower in Chicago. There is an all glass area where you can go out and look down from over 100 stories up! Very disconcerting, even though it’s quite safe. Viewing life from a higher vantage point does give you a new perspective, doesn’t it?
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That would be too much! I am definitely not an adrenaline seeker, lol!
Yes, looking at our lives or situations in their entirety definitely gives a new perspective.
Lovely having you here for a cuppa!
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That’s a stunning picture of the city jutting out into the sea. Goodness, those huge buildings are close to the water!
And I love the way you connected the dots between your visceral reaction to the height and its spiritual counterpart. Awareness is so important in crafting our obedience!
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Thank you Michele, yes our lives look so different when passed through His eyes & perspective… Don’t they…
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What gorgeous views!! Having a heavenly perspective changes everything, doesn’t it? Great post, friend! 🙂
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Thank you Rachel for your kind words & most definitely!
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Jennifer, You have a lovely blog that I noticed you recently started. Very encouraging words, but unfortunately they won’t help me. Since I was in 7th grade I have been terrified of heights and there’s no training my brain, especially at my age. Our youngest son’s wife, Erin, grew up in Forbes, NSW; and fortunately for us they live about 35 minutes from our house with our grandson, Corbin.
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Yes, I know Forbes well, in my early years I lived in Parkes, NSW which is the next town from there…
How lovely to have your family close by!
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Lovely and true. Thank you for sharing.
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You’re so welcome, thank you for dropping by, it was lovely sharing a cuppa with you!
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I absolutely love this post! One of my favorite things to do is get above it all and gain perspective. I love climbing to the top of a mountain, flying in an airplane, and going to the top of a building. Plus I love the view.
Heading up in a plane today but I’m not sure I will see much it is storming. I use the time to gain a little perspective on my life. It is always my time to meet with God and have him show me what I need to see. So many times in life the best thing is to pull away a bit so you can get a new look.
Glad I was your neighbor today on Mary’s link-up.
Blessings, Maree
Gorgeous pictures!
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Happy flying & reflective time Maree! It is always a great idea to go into a place of spititual solace to gain His perspective on our life 😉
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