Everyday Things

I often wonder why things happen.  Do they happen for a reason or, is it all just, random? Does the unpredictability of it allow us to disengage and reassess? I think we experience amazing things every day that get lost in the endless chatter and noise in our lives. 

Everyday things interest me. It would be nice if you could hear about and relate to those more ordinary, everyday happenings with a little retrospect and humor. How many times did I mindlessly miss my driveway on my way home from work? Or, when I missed a relative’s 80th birthday party? I remember some pretty awesome art my daughter made that I casually sent to a friend who then surprised me by having it framed. How incredible those little things are but so often went overlooked. Gratitude just takes a little awareness. Easy to say, but often, hard to do.

Growing up on the prairie had both advantages and disadvantages. Unlike being surrounded by mountains or the vastness of the ocean, this landscape offered a level of comfort. You aren’t overwhelmed because you can’t see forever and, you don’t feel any restricting boundaries. Bright skies and endless possibilities.

I often ask myself what happened along the way? Where did the time go? Where were those bright skies? It seems I was so wrapped up in the busyness of the daily grind I was missing the extraordinary things happening all around me every day.

Things like teamwork and a sense of community were ingrained in everything I did growing up. That place where every day, every one, mattered. I saw the extraordinary in small, subtle ways like showing up for work every day, tending to the garden or lending a helping hand without being asked.

Climbing off the treadmill of busy isn’t easy. Sometimes I find myself trading one form of busy for another. By deliberately practicing being more aware, I’m reconnecting with those things that really matter to me, one day at a time. Every day.