We celebrated my dad’s 70th birthday today with lunch at The Mayflower, birthday cake, and an afternoon (into evening) of conversation. His birthday was on the 13th, but we couldn’t all get together earlier in the week.

When they went to pick up the cake, my dad requested that they add that “70” to it, although, my mom said, he hasn’t been feeling that great about turning 70. I guess he decided to embrace it in a physical way. I’m all for that!

Notice that the cake in the picture is upside down. Kevin saw it this way on the counter and asked about the “OL,” thinking for a second somebody’d already eaten the “D.” But it’s actually the “70,” upside down.

It got me thinking about how just a little change of perspective can make a huge change in the way we interpret things. Sometimes all it takes is a tiny change of scenery to bring new life to the same-old.

Next time you’re in the midst of something you really don’t know how to handle, or something you’re really bored with, or something you’re totally resenting having to do, take a second to breathe and tilt your head a bit. Try to find a different angle to come at it from.

I think you’ll be surprised at the results.