Last week we had some gorgeous weather. Sunny, breezy, warm enough to enjoy, but not so hot that you couldn't be outside and enjoy it. So I took my lunch break one day and decided to go walk on one of my favorite trails.
Now I tend to pride myself on being a constructive user of time so when I walk, I ususally take that time to listen to podcasts or books on tape (ok, occasionally I listen to ordinary music). So I was walking down my trail and listening to a sermon and really was just focused on getting the walk done and feeling good about it, and halfway down the trail I walked passed a group of eight people- looked like two mothers and several children. And the moms were trying to walk but every few feet one of the children would stop to show them a flower or a bug or something like that. I remember feeling kind of bad for the mothers that they couldn't just walk consistently.
Well needless to say I passed them on up and continued down the trail. When I got to the end of the trail, what did I do? I turned around and headed back to the beginning. On my way back, I passed the same families. and this time the little girl waved at me like crazy. So I took my head phones off and said "Hi." She then preceeded to grab my hand and drag me about ten feet back where there was a little turtle trying to cross the path but he was stuck. Apparently I had walked right past him a few moments before and didn't notice him, but this little girl had seen him and thought he was th neatest thing. I thanked her for pointing out such a great turtle and her mom called her to continue the walk.
I sat there and watched the turtle for a little bit. Watched him move his head in and out of the shell. Watched him try to get over the path. I picked him up and looked at the colors on his shell and helped him across the path. And it struck me that I was so busy being productive on the first walk by- exercising and listening to my ipod- that I had totally missed the turtle. Just didn't notice him. And it made me wonder- what else am I missing out on? Am I getting so caught up in being productive, getting the job done, being successful, that I really am missing out on the little wonders of the world- like flowers, and turtles, and bugs? And if I don't notice little things like that- what else am I missing? Who am I ignoring?
I started out my walk feeling sorry for the mom whose kids kept stopping them to point out the flowers and the bugs and everything else that seems so miraculous as a child, but in the end I realized I was the one who was missing out.
When did I lose my sense of wonder? When I stop looking around me? When did I start missing all the little things that make this life beautiful? How long has it been since I've stopped and just marveled in the sunlight? When did I lose my child like spirit? When did I stop getting excited over the little things?
And how do I get back to that child-like way of life?
No comments:
Post a Comment