Guided by Truth: A message from the Principal
The Power of Perspective
Throughout the working week, my inbox fills with countless promotions, advice, and program invitations. Most days, I quickly hit delete, but occasionally, a word or image catches my attention. Today, that word was perspective.
Intrigued, I clicked on a short video and spent the next four minutes watching an insightful explanation of why perspective matters—how taking the time to see life through someone else’s eyes can shape our understanding. Those brief minutes led me to reflect on my recent approach to parenting my own children.
As a mother of teenagers, many of our conversations centre on how they engage with the world around them. Lately, I’ve used the word compromise—encouraging them to consider others and not always put themselves first (often in the context of helping with household chores!). But after watching the video, I wondered if perspective might be a better word to use. Encouraging others to see a situation from another’s point of view doesn’t mean we must compromise, but it does ask us to pause and consider why someone may be thinking, acting, or speaking in a certain way or in my case asking for help around the house.
By shifting our focus to perspective, we foster understanding and tolerance—helping us make informed decisions about the only things we truly control: our opinions, behaviour, words, and actions.
In exploring this idea, I was reminded of Pope Francis’ wisdom on walking alongside others. Inspired by the example of Jesus in the Gospels, he highlights three essential actions: encounter, listen, and discern.
Encounter calls us to be open to others, courageous, and willing to be challenged by their experiences.
Listening allows people to feel truly heard, without judgment, as they share their own stories and faith journeys.
Discernment happens when we engage in genuine dialogue, opening ourselves to new perspectives and growing through shared understanding.
If you find four spare minutes, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the power of perspective. Perspective Taking
As for me, I’ll be starting this conversation around the dinner table tonight! Hoping that within seeing my perspective, my children will unpack the dishwasher in a timely manner.
In seeking truth, we flourish.
Julie Southwell
