When we set up displays, we tend to view them from our own vantage points, but through years of working with kids and connecting them to the natural world, I’ve learned that looking at things from a different perspective can give us insight. Insight comes from looking at the world through the eyes of others, seeing what they see, and understanding afresh. How often do we practice that?

The photo that accompanies this post shows colorful book covers; it shows faces of characters that I might want to know more about; it makes me want to look more closely at the various books to see what else is there.

What if we all practiced this on a regular basis? Not necessarily getting down to a child’s view, but stepping into the shoes of others, looking at situations from their perspective…would it change how we interact with people and nature? Would it help us understand them better and make us more mindful? Or is it just a means toward selling books?

I guess that question can only be answered by trying it out for a while.