The things I pass by

The things I pass by

July 24, 2018

There are so many things I pass by, physically or in some other plane.

I step over things, don’t notice they are there.

It’s almost worse than ignoring something. If I ignored it, at least I would have turned my attention to it, and then decided to refuse to acknowledge its existence.

What I’m talking about is the lack of engagement of which I’m sometimes guilty, a lack of engagement with the world around and about.

I drive a route frequently and suddenly notice a restaurant or coffee shop which has inhabited the space for months or even years. It’s not that the road has changed. It’s that I’ve changed or slowed enough to take notice.

I wonder if it’s a safety mechanism, to keep me from being overwhelmed. There is a lot of noise and many things seem to crave my attention. I wonder, too, how many things I miss and if I miss what is right in front of me.

It’s not just places. I could suddenly notice a piece of street art and then, clearly, see the work and intention and inspiration which created it. I might suddenly see a person, someone I’ve seen at the same coffee shop daily and be keenly aware that there is a life there, friends and family, hopes, dreams and disappointments orbiting this life. It could be an attitude or an opinion I have held for so long I think it’s truth. Then, a new view, and I’m open to seeing things differently.

I’m not sure what triggers these brief visitations of clarity, like the sun beaming through the clouds. I’ll take them though, like a respite from the daily grind.

I’ll take them and be thankful and hang on to them as long as I can.

I’ll hang on to that feeling, that knowing that I’m right here, right now.

And.

Breathe.

Love,

M

Leave a comment