The Sky in the Morning
It’s been said that we see what we look for. And, it’s true. For example, when you decide you want a new Jeep, it seems that only Wranglers and Rubicons fill the roads…
Another way to think of this adage is that we see what we attend to.
Considering the degree to which our thoughts inform our perceptions, becoming intentionally attentive is powerful. And yet, to be deeply attentive is not easy in a world of distraction. Giving our attention to one thing necessarily limits our ability to attend fully to another. Like the fallacy of multi-tasking, we simply cannot focus totally on two things at once.
Even the way we talk about it, paying attention, reinforces the idea that being attentive comes at a cost. The reverse is also true; all of this back and forth limits our ability to deeply explore or enjoy any unique object of our attention.
An elemental example is the sunrise. The transition of color that occurs as the sun warms the sky is ineffable. The sweetest breath of pink layered with watery blue shifting so slowly and continuously that it’s hard to say exactly when it changes to a vibrant, salmony-orange. The nuances are nearly impossible to capture in a photograph, and any attempts to reflect them in a painting leave the viewer feeling that artistic license has gone too far.
But it’s all magnificently there.
If you’re paying attention.
When we’re less present, a sunrise is not miraculous. It is the background of our morning. Perhaps a source of light.
The rest of our lives are the same way. Words like work, family, and partner take on new meaning when we give them our full attention. As we immerse ourselves in the present, we are able to see the glory in the ordinary. The opportunities for real connection abound. And, there is beauty and wonder everywhere if we are willing to attend to it.
One Comment
Nancy
One of my favorites to date