Photo By SashaW via flickr
Yesterday I was driving in the car with my six year old, Mara. It was raining, and as we slowly pulled up to a red light she shared a little story with me. She very happily said, "Mommy, yesterday, when I was riding in the car, I looked out the window and I saw a puddle. There was this bubble in the puddle and it just kept floating along in the puddle, then it popped on a leaf."
At that moment, I could imagine exactly what she had seen. I had the whole picture in my head. I must have been feeling particularly reflective yesterday because a flood of thoughts came to mind after her story. I was filled with wonder and awe that something so simple had stuck with her. A tiny detail, only seconds of her day, remained in her mind. I was amazed at the simplicity of her life, and about how easy it must be for children to notice these nuggets of beauty that nature gives us.
But at the same time, I sighed, a little sad. Sad that I no longer notice these tiny details. I wondered, at what point in our lives do we stop noticing? When do we become so driven by the big details and responsibilities of life?
Of course, she has no idea how special this little story was for me, but I'm so glad she shared it. Just like always, my children are teaching me and showing me a simpler way of viewing the crazy world we live in. I know I'll be making more of an effort to notice the details around me.
When was the last time you noticed a bubble in a puddle?
My challenge for you is to go through the rest of this week more open and more aware of your surroundings. What small nuggets of beauty do you see? What details do you notice that you normally wouldn't think twice about?
Please be sure to share in the comments what you find. I'm looking forward to seeing what you all have to say.
Warmly,
Jennifer
