pay attention...

I wonder if the people who live in Colorado see the mountains every day... or if, after living there a while, the astonishment fades. I was fascinated by them at every turn... and my camera is full of not-so-great shots that I tried to take from the car as we wove our way mountainside.

In this go-go-go society, are we rushing through daily life stomping the roses because they are blocking access to the next event? or buried so deep in our phones, head down, that we are blinded by the blue light, letting life pass unnoticed?

I think these past months have taught us... that rushing is unnecessary, because there is no place to go. That the only real place to be is the here, and the now. And really? It's quite beautiful. We walk and the breeze whips around, directing our eyes to a ripple across the water, or the way the leaves shimmy and dance in the light. We sit and we rest, and in the quiet of nothing, I see how the sun shines through the sea grape leaves. And it brings me joy. 

From home, we may long for the flashy places, and the excitement they might hold. There is a time for that, and I hope we'll get there again. But these small moments, that are all around us, in the rush and the still, they are valuable. I pray that I will not let them go by the wayside. I hope, that on the other side of this mess, I remember to leave space to breathe, and don't have to remind myself to seek the beauty. 

I asked Laura... do you still notice the mountains?
Yes, everyday as I walk to school I look up at them in awe. 

pay attention, be astonished, tell about it...
-Mary Oliver