It’s Monday, after the NFC Championship Game. I want to write about the Packers. The mistakes. The shoulda-coulda-woulda’s. The knot I still faintly feel in my stomach. The shattered hopes and the disappointment. I want to write all about that, but I’m not going to.

I live in Wisconsin, I am a football fan, and the Packers are a big deal here. If you live here, or are a Packer fan, you know what I mean. We unite as fans to cheer and celebrate. After the loss yesterday though, I felt isolated in it. The unity felt broken along with the dream. There has been thoughts of pointing fingers and casting blame. But that won’t help. It was a dramatic and hard fought game no matter how you look at it. Like I said though, I’m not going write about that.

What instantly came to my mind moments after the loss, was something else. Perspective.

The Packers lost, and it kind of felt like the world ended. Like life was over and everything was horrible. But then this bell of truth rings out in my head: Perspective.

Earlier Sunday morning, I heard about a little girl named Maribel who has recently started living at an orphanage in Mexico. I have visited this orphanage and even lived there for a few months so it has a special place in my heart. Maribel has been brought to this orphanage after being taken away from her father, who was selling her as a prostitute for years. Maribel is 12 years old.

Perspective is that Maribel is just one of millions of children around the world with depressingly atrocious pasts just like hers. But now she is somewhere she can be properly loved and cared for. Hopefully she can find healing, be educated, and become a functioning adult.

Perspective is that in the grand scheme of things the Packers, and football in general, is ultimately just a form of entertainment. That’s ok, it’s in all of us to find hobbies. Things to enjoy, appreciate and be entertained by. Mere entertainment however, should never make or break anyone or anything. There is much worse and more serious things to be concerned with. I’m not saying we shouldn’t care, just that we need to have Perspective.

Perspective is that I have family and friends who love me.

Perspective is that I am blessed with shelter, food and clothing.

Perspective is that I have access to clean drinking water, something approximately 750 million people do not have.

Perspective is that I have a job of which I am thankful for.

Perspective is that while working and things break or don’t go right, we don’t need to get frustrated or lose our patience because we will figure it out and get the job done well.

Perspective is that we have great relationships with our customers. We’re thankful for them and they seem to be thankful for us.

Perspective is that life goes on. The world keeps spinning. The sun keeps shining.

Perspective is as humans, we are all on this Earth together and we can and should all help each other. Whether that’s serving our community, supporting an orphanage in a foreign country or just sharing some positive Perspective with others around us.

And for the Packers, Perspective is that as a team they did better than 90% of the rest of the NFL this year. They won and lost as a team. And as a team, next year, they can win the Super Bowl. But I’m not writing about that.