I find myself guilty of this as often as those around me. I get to running around my busy, important life and forget the rest of the world around me. Oh, I am aware of the person driving slow in front of me, or the one cutting me off at the intersection. I’m aware of the things around me that are difficult or inconvenient, but I forget to look at the little things in the world that make life truly worth living, that makes the difference between “existing” and “living”.
When I am in a good place in life, I find that I am noticing wonderful little things about the world; the smell of fresh cut grass; a flock of baby starlings following their mom around the yard, begging to be fed; a little chipmunk with overflowing cheeks peering at me from the notch of a tree. Suddenly the person driving slowly doesn’t seem so bad, I have time to look at the horses standing in a field of buttercups, or to notice two deer with their fawns romping and playing in crazy circles.
All it really takes is for you to STOP, even just for a minute, and look around. The natural world is not separate from us; it lives side by side with us every day. It reminds us how life lived simply is probably the most effective and functional life there is. Taking a trip to the park to feed the ducks will create more good memories for your children than how high they can score on their favorite video game. A walk in the woods will do more good for your blood pressure than a dozen pills.
Take a few minutes each day to appreciate the nature around you, from the ladybug on your roses to the spotted calf at the dairy farm you pass on your way to work. Your day may suddenly seem a little brighter, and who knows, you might find yourself stretching those minutes into hours!
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