Here in Wisconsin, winter came early and a bit more intensely than is typical. Casual conversations shared by those you meet inevitably touch on the status of the weather. Currently, the negative comments outweigh the positive by about 10 to 1, but I think that might have more to do with the road conditions and that drivers seem to have forgotten the need for slower speeds when the roads are SNOW COVERED!
So far, I have been able to experience our winter weather with great joy and appreciation for the beauty of it all. (This could change if I get in a car wreck so keep your fingers crossed). The other day I was in my car, stopped at a red light. It was sunny with a clear blue sky and the white of the snow amplified the brightness of it all. All of a sudden, three small stream of melting ice rolled down my windshield right in front of my eyes. The sun caught them just right and they lit up and sparkled like the most brilliant diamonds you have ever seen. I uttered an “Oh my!” and just watched as they traversed downward. (The moment passed when the car behind me started honking but the image stays with me nonetheless)
I have become curious about why so many of these displays of beauty and awe are revealing themselves to me lately. I imagine they have been all around me all along, but for some reason now I am inhabiting a space where I can see them better. And I wonder if the experience of seeing, improves my vision.
The photo attached to this blog was one I took on an early morning walk with my dog. I was struck by the colors and contrasts so I stopped once again to capture the image, while my dog sat patiently on the road. (I think the dog actually appreciated it because he typically isn’t the ‘sitting still’ kind of dog when we’re on a walk). And I have come to be grateful for the people in my life who help me see what they are seeing too. I have a friend in my yoga class who is nearing the end of a year of posting ‘a photo a day’ on Facebook. The pictures she puts up are often intriguing and I tell her whenever I can that I really like the way “she sees the world”. She finds beauty and charm in everyday things.
Focusing our attention in ways that serve us is a choice we all get to make. Isn’t that great news!
