Matter of orientation

The young man took my tickets to see the movie and said, "Thank you.  Theater 2 is on the right."  I migrated to the snack counter, ordered popcorn and a drink, then turned to my right.  Theaters 9-14 were on the right.

Didn't he just say the theater was on the right? I thought to myself.

Then I realized that we were facing each other as I handed him the tickets.  The young man's right was my left.  Yes, indeed, the theater was on his right, my left.

Perspective is one of those very important realizations in living.  Orientation is probably a synonym to perspective, though not always.  In this case, it is.  I forget sometimes that I am not the only one on this Earth.  Some people are facing a different and, sometimes, opposite direction.  Talking to my sister the other day, I told her that some political view we were discussing was a view of rabid Tea Party members.  She replied, "Don't be too harsh.  I am one of those Tea Party people."

I can't help but trace my actions as I look at my personal history.  Yes, I have changed my orientation almost completely from the one I had when I graduated college.  Life's experiences were in front of me then.  Now they're not.  The theater room used to be on my right.  Now, after treading through life, the theater room is on my left.  I'm not disoriented.  I reversed my orientation. 

At the theater, I ended up in the right theater when I changed my original orientation from when I faced the ticket taker.  I think the outcome will be the same when I finally make my way to life's destination.