I came across three items this morning which started the wheels a turning. The first was a beautiful painting of flowering trees with dappled petals and leaves on the grassy ground. Simple patterns, elegant, and stunningly beautiful.
The second was an article entitled “Exploring the Backyard.” As a Landscape Architect. the idea of creating a world to explore in your own landscape is a crucial piece of design. The wonders that flit and flutter just outside the window or mingle with the gentle sounds of a babbling waterfall. Or the watching of five Lawrence Goldfinches drink and bathe in the water feature when the 9-degree weather had the stream almost frozen over, well, those are the treasured rewards to the observant observer.
The third item arose from talking about grandkids and a three-year-old’s persistent question of WHY? Instead of pushing the question away because one is too busy to answer truthfully, pause and actually respond in a meaningful way. Too often we rush by the interesting and the puzzling. The mundane is mundane only when it is shrugged off. When you stop and observe, really explore what lays before you, the little gemstones of wonder appear.
It seemed that these three items this morning all melded into one thoughtful purpose – be observant and reap the joy that results. My wife and I receive daily enjoyment from the pictures and videos of our 18-month-old grandson exploring life. The joy on his face from discovery, his persistent pursuit of something of interest are all lessons for us adults.
I see many people plodding through life as if it is a chore. Life has lost the luster of marvel it once held in childhood. Why then are we here? Is the goal to have a bigger truck, a bigger house, more land than your neighbor? Possessions can be similar to wearing 15 coats at one time, a bit cumbersome. A very wise yogi once told our class that each thing in your world retained a part of you. When you had the most toys it was a burden because each of those things claimed part of your attention, so much so that the clutter one had to wade through just to make it through the day was wearisome.
Watch a young child discover the wonders in their surrounding world. Bask in their joy. Shed the years of unneeded burdens and regain that youthful spark. When I look at some of my friends who lightly wear their 70 or 80 years of being, I see the glimmer of youthful joy and wonder. They giggle at times, while watching the antics of children at play. When did you last giggle? Their faces light up with joy at the raucous calls of a vee of Sandhill Cranes flying several thousand feet overhead. Or the wiggling tail end of a duck as it probs the muddy river bottom for a meal.
Why? It is a wonderful question to ask. Take a lesson from an eighteen-month-old and sample the joys and wonders that surround you and laugh without inhibition. Walk out into your yard and look for the wonders which nature provides constantly. Sit quietly and absorb the life stories which weave together in a constant song. Cock your head to one side, inquizzically, like a good pup, sniff the air, savor your meals, slowly and enjoy this journey. Most of all, stop, observe, and ask WHY? Then answer the question.