This morning I followed the sage of advice of Thich Nat Han and used the time I was stopped by red lights or traffic to notice my breath and take a mindfulness break. When I slowed down inside, I naturally noticed the view outside.
As the bare trees moved against the blue gray pallet, a single bird flew across the sky and I was inspired by this thought:
"Once upon a time, you saw a bird fly for the first time."
What was it like to see a bird fly for the first time? How old was I? What was it like the first time I saw a lake, the sky, or my mother's face?
As I walked into work, I had the thought that there would also be a last time that I would see a bird, a lake or the sky, just like there was a last time I saw the smile on Milly's face. (Milly is my mom's name.)
It wasn't a sad thought really; it was more of an awareness of the miracles that fade in and out of my sight as I move through my daily routine.
I was moved by the idea that the feelings of the child who saw a bird for the first time are still there if I lean in and imagine. When I then think of the first time I saw a live lion at a zoo or my loved ones at a big family gathering, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the ordinary moments that I usually take for granted.
I am thinking these deep thoughts because I am spending lots of time with my dog, who has been diagnosed with cancer; although I have thought this before and been happily proven wrong, I am pretty sure she's almost done with this chapter of her existence.
Unsure of her disabled footing, my dog now stops after walking a foot or so and we just stand still for awhile before she moves on.
As I stand there, I awaken to the irreplaceable relationships and the wonderful world surrounding me. (Because I appreciate every second left with my old pal, I appreciate all the other seconds and relationships in my life too.)
I am thankful for this rare opportunity to learn these end-of-life lessons early, from an unconditionally loving friend.
Thanks for reading and if you can, take a moment to notice the view outside your window today. I guarantee you'll be struck by the creative genius wrought by nature's artistic hand.
Then, take a moment and remember that everything we see was once a brand new gift, including each other.
May you and yours be well, happy and peaceful in every moment.
(No filters for these photos-leaning heavily into REAL these days.)
Mary