Above the Falls

Seeing Niagara Falls has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl when I first learned they existed. At the beginning of June, I took a road trip with some friends and our first stop was Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. Not only was this my first time to see Niagara Falls, it was also the first time I visited Canada. As you can probably imagine, I was replete with excitement.

Tourists can view the Falls from an elevated sidewalk. With waterfalls at about 180 feet high and flowing at about 35 miles per hour, it is truly a beautiful sight to behold! The sound of the water falling made me feel relaxed. I had such a peaceful feeling as I stood there looking over the sidewalk. The rush of the water made me feel quiet and calm.

There are different tours you can choose from so you can see the Falls up close. My friends and I chose the “Behind the Falls” tour. To take this tour, we had to take an elevator down to a tunnel. Once out of the elevator, we could walk out on a  ledge to see the waterfalls from behind. The tunnel was humid with a sense of melancholy. This was a much different view than the one from the sidewalk.

Behind the Falls it was loud, chaotic, and messy. Water was surging everywhere. I was barely able to take a picture because my phone and I were both getting drenched as water sprayed from the backdrop of the waterfalls. Thankfully I had on a poncho. This “Behind the Falls”  perspective was much different than the view above the Falls. It wasn’t quite as beautiful and it showed how much power was gushing over the side of the ledge. From this point of view, I could see how scary it would be to get caught up in the treacherous water. I definitely preferred the view above the Falls over the view from behind.

There are a multitude of circumstances that can feel like a “Behind the Falls” life experience. Maybe you are a college student who is feeling overwhelmed with studies and you are wondering if it is worth your efforts. YES, it is! Take it one semester at a time. Semesters have an end and eventually, your academic studies will come to an end. Hopefully, you continue lifelong learning once you graduate, but the structured studies will be behind you.

Perhaps you are putting in overtime at work in hopes of getting the promotion you want. You may be taking on extra responsibilities that do not fall under your job description. Is it worth it? You bet it is! Someone, somewhere, is taking note of your diligence. They are also observing the attitude you have about it. So make sure you keep that in check. Hard work, coupled with a positive attitude and good spirit, will always pay off.

“Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance.” – Colossians 3:23 – MSG

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;” – Ephesians 9:10 – KJV

Sometimes when we stand too close to a situation, we only see it as a torrential burst of problems. The pressure surges over the ledge and threatens to engulf us. The stress that splashes in our faces can blur our vision to the point where we are only hearing the noise surrounding us and we lose focus of our purpose. The result can make us feel defeated. When we reach that point, what we need is a change in perspective.

Guess what! Just like Niagara Falls, it just takes a little effort to get back to the top and see things from above your current situation. At Niagara Falls, you can just take an elevator back to the top. In life, you can rise above by spending time on your knees in prayer or in reading the Bible. Take time to search out people in the Bible who worked hard, with a good attitude, and ultimately rose above their circumstances, reaching their goals.

Hint: A good place to start is with Joseph, Jacob’s son. (You know, the son who started out with a colorful coat.) You may already know the story, but reading it again can help you change your mindset about where you are right now. Afterall, you probably aren’t forgotten in a jail for a crime you didn’t commit. (Genesis 37-50)

The thing about Niagara Falls that really stood out to me was how much different the view was from behind compared to viewing it from above. How can something so overwhelming actually be beautiful? It really is about perspective. If you can change your viewpoint, you will find that the outcome is marvelous. What is even more wonderful is that once you do obtain your aspirations, other people will look at you in amazement.

Your perspective can change your life. Allow yourself to develop a beautiful outcome that others will look at with admiration. Make a commitment to yourself to take the elevator up to a new point of view. Live your life above the Falls.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” – Philippians 4:13 – KJV

2 thoughts on “Above the Falls”

  1. Oh My goodness, Katelyn! You have done it again! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom on such huge battle that we all share. It is easy for us to feel overwhelmed in our various situations, and feel like there is no way out…but the truth is here. All we need to do is change our perspective and we will see that things are intended for our good and our success is occurring while we are often oblivious to it. Thank you so much. I love you and your writing never ceases to amaze me.

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