To tell the truth of it, some days I get wound up. I might be rolling along just fine. But then I hit a bump in the road, and it spills my cart. Onions scattered everywhere. All over the road. Onions with tons of layers, as Donkey so aptly noted.
I wish this wouldn’t happen. I wish I could just be at peace, even when that pothole breaks a wheel.
From that point on, though, after the “disruption,” I leave the moment. I am off somewhere being filled with worry, or anger, or sadness, or whatever the thing might be. I time travel away from myself and let the emotion be the ride. I am, as they say, beside myself.
I know humans experience emotions, and that is a normal behavior. We are supposed to feel anger at times. Or worry. Or sadness. But it probably isn’t best to linger there. And when this happens, I try hard to bring myself back to what is happening now. And the best way to do this, for me, is by noticing.
Noticing the things around me. The small things. The things that are filled with delight, and that remind me about the wonder of living.
They are the everyday happenings of our lives that bring us the most joy. A perfect dip egg. The sweetness of the little dog standing at my feet. The fact that I have a very nice roof over my head and warm, clean clothes on my back.
It is those small things that can fill our days with gladness, albeit, in reality, they are not so small. But they are there “every day,” and we often take those things for granted. But when we stop ourselves and notice, we are more likely to experience the wonder of living.
By taking the time to look around and observe the goodness that surrounds me, I can see that the “ordinary” of the every day is actually the “miraculous.” I can see that my life is filled with the extraordinary detail of each individual moment.
The awareness. Even if I only do this for even a few minutes each day, I see just how blessed I truly am.
Those small joys. Oh, to notice them, to breathe them in, to be thankful for them.
I know some people do not believe in a god or a higher power, and the word “blessed” often rubs them the wrong way.
But in truth, we are blessed. Whether the goodness that surrounds us came from a god, or the benevolent Universe, or from Mother Goose, doesn’t really matter. The goodness is still there. The beneficial thing is still there. That blessing.
Aside from all of that, taking in the small joys of each day expands our feeling of being connected with the world.
There is goodness, and we are fortunate enough to be in the midst of it. It helps us understand a deeper level of appreciation for everything the Universe has given to our lives. Those moments. Those miracles.
“””””””””
“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings
“””””””””
“The Degree to which I am blessed staggers me… the degree to which I take that for granted shames me.”
― John Green
“””””””””
“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”
― Henry Ward Beecher
“””””””””
See it. Believe it. Because it helps.
