Our perspective matters a great deal. Rather than being fully immersed in the world’s mayhem, we can find a perspective like the one implied by this photo and see the world from above. In fact, perspectives like this one are necessary if we’re to be healthy and fruitful.

Humans are terrific at remembering, imagining and assembling ideas, but only when we have a state of mind that allows it; if we’re constantly bombarded with stimuli, distracted over and over, we simply can’t run our higher operations very well. We require perspective and quiet, even just to understand ourselves.

* * * * *

So, before going back to the mayhem, think of the times and places where you gained the type of feeling that comes from this image. List them, relive the experiences, and think about finding new ones.