“Those who dwell
among the beauties and mysteries of the earth
are never alone or weary of life” (Rachel Carson).
are never alone or weary of life” (Rachel Carson).
What we see in the world around us is to a large
extent a matter of choice. Do we take
time every day to look, really look,
at things? To find the beauty, or the humour, or the charm, or the mystery in
them? When driving car to work or better at traffic light, do we stare
aimlessly out the window, or do we make an effort to look at the colour of the
sky, the shapes of the clouds? Do we look closely enough to allow ourselves to
be delighted by the funny little dog trotting along the sidewalk? Or to feel
sympathy, or admiration, or sadness when we watch an elderly woman walking
slowly and carefully out her front door?
It is natural to be
preoccupied by our own thoughts, or to be lulled into not noticing all that is
around us while we do routine errands. And there is nothing wrong in
daydreaming from time to time (in fact is it good). But the more we can be
mindful of what we are doing as we doing it, the healthier and happier we will
be.
Mindfulness is a choice,
and it is something we can practice: When
our mind wanders – whether while eating, doing the dishes, writing a report, or
walking to our car – we can gently shift our focus back to the wonders that are
everywhere to be found.
I like what Helen Keller (she
lost her sight and hearing when she was 19 months old as a result of an
illness) noted in her essay, Three Days
to See:
“I
who am blind can give one hint to those who see – one admonition to those who
would make full use of the gift of sight: Use your eyes as if tomorrow you
would be stricken blind… Hear the music of voices, the song of the bird, the
mighty strains of an orchestra, as if you would be stricken deaf tomorrow.
Touch each object you want to touch as if tomorrow your tactile sense would
fail. Smell the perfume of flowers, taste with relish each morsel, as if
tomorrow you could never smell and taste again. Make the most of every sense:
glory in all the facets of pleasure and beauty which the world reveals to you.”
Don’t overlook life’s treasures,
Be mindful of the wonder.
Lord, Give
Us Today Our Daily Idea(s)
References:
1. Choose the Life You Want: 101 Ways to Create You Own Road to Happiness
by Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD (New York: The Experiment, 2012)
2. Full Catastrophe Living” Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face
Stress, Pain and Illness by J. Kabat-Zinn (New York: Delta, 1990)
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