Through Their Eyes

In today's world we maintain focus, keeping our eyes on the prize while preparing to steadily following the next prize on the horizon.  Usually we do not give ourselves time to stop and look around.  Can you imagine what we would see if we looked side to side, up and down?  Overscheduled, overbooked, double booked, back-to-back, and full-scheduled are common terms with today’s activities.  They are phrases that do not only apply to the business world now, they also apply to our personal lives.  Recently I have had two experiences that have realigned my vision toward the prizes that are off to the side of my life path.

My 11 year old daughter invited a friend to our house for a sleepover.  After filling up on chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, we decided we would venture out and explore through hiking.  After running through the basics of navigating thorn bushes, poking sticks in the river bank, and maneuvering over fallen trees; we slowed down to truly look around.  First we caught sight of a gorgeous, large rabbit running through the woods.  Next we discovered a beautiful, plush marsh area; a lovely sight as we begin to welcome Spring.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the children thrive in the great outdoors and experience firsthand the wonderment of our great environment.   As we began heading back to the trailhead I glanced over my shoulder and what I saw had me stop in my tracks.  My daughter’s friend was standing in the middle of the woods holding her iPhone high above her head.  It took me a moment to realize what she was doing with her phone.  She said to me, “I’m recording nature.”  As I watched her I could hear the wind moving through the trees, the river rolling over rocks and birds singing a lovely melody.  My focus was strongly set on heading out of the woods, calling out where the thorn bushes were and citing my constant chant of “Be Careful” that I did not ‘see’ what I truly should.

Mornings in my house are pretty routine consisting of child rearing, breakfast prep, packing lunches, brushing teeth, fixing hair and scampering to the bus stop.  Each day will usually play out in the same fashion – the children look to the sides of their 'paths' with distraction while I continuously redirect them to focus on getting to the bus stop on time with everything they need for their day.  On a particularly wet morning, after a night filled with rain, the children dashed out the front door to our bus stop.  Instead of walking the concrete path to the bus stop (conceding to distraction and steering away from the path yet again) they trudged through the landscape and made a beeline to the barren tree in our front yard.  Their faces lit up as they showed me the dew dripped spider webbing laced through the branches.  I stood in front of the branches and soaked in every element of the wonderful display of nature.  Along with the spider webbing I saw small buds preparing to unfurl the tree’s leaves.  Dangling from the buds were raindrops amplifying the rising morning sun.  The entire scene was simply peaceful and inspiring only compounded by the enthusiasm of my children who made the decision to look to the right of their path and embrace one of nature’s prizes.

I will forever be grateful for the inquisitive, explorative nature of my children.  Distraction is not a bad word.   When our sight is focused on the horizon we should occasionally remember to blink, turn to the side and watch, listen and breathe.