Most of us are working hard on this, and probably even keeping a gratitude journal.
Just when you think you have the whole living in the moment thing down, a four-year-old comes along and shows you how it’s done! 😊
You may hear them or see them doing the following:
- Ohhhh, what an amazing house!
- What an amazing garbage can! I bet I can fit in it!
- Or, Wow, what a wonderful tree! I want to climb it!
- Look at those rocks! I want to bring one home!
- Hear that bird singing?
- I hear a wind chime!
- Do you see that cute, adorable dog? So perfect. I want to pet him.
- Do you feel the wind on your face? It feels so soft.
- Look! Two trucks, aren’t they huge
- You will probably be amazed by the things these youngsters notice that you never do.
One day, after I stopped and realized how children see the world, I decided to stop and look. I was amazed that I had no idea the neighbors had wind chimes. Never even looked at a garbage can or even to think it amazing.! I constantly complained to my husband about barking dogs. And of course, the wind always messes up my hair. And I got real clear that I had at least a thousand concerns competing for my attention, while four-year old’s are content to watch the world, and stop to notice with wonder stuff like ants running about on the sidewalk with wonder. I decided to start a new mantra for myself, and continually say to myself, “Be Amazed”. Live! I set a reminder on my calendar, I made post-its, I wrote it down in my journal…”Be Amazed!” I did not want to forget this wonderful joyful feeling and the absolute clarity it gave me that I could be amazed and enjoy life. What a concept! Boy has my life turned around!
So, let me say: Be Amazed. Take a step back and look at your life with gratitude every now and then. Squeeze every last once of goodness out of what is around you. Savor it. Soak it up. Luxuriate in it! 😊
Yes, you can be amazed when you’re burned out, sick, bone weary and bedraggled, use this amazement to fill yourself back up. Look for situations, people and activities that remind you of what it means and how it feels to be joyful, amazed and alive.
And those painful parts of life? You know, the ones that really, really hurt? The bad ones you barely survive? Maybe there’ a little room for amazement there too. Amazement when you actually make it to the other side. Amazement for how much love the heart can hold. Amazement or your resilience, your ability to heal, and your capacity to keep loving and hoping.
Be amazed by your spirit! Your tenacity! Be amazed by that part of you that refuses to give up. You know, you only get one shot at life, and you don’t have a whole lot of control over what happens to you in it. Why not take advantage of the choices that you do have and train your mind to consciously to choose to be amazed every day!
Hey, What have you got to lose? 😊
Magic Morsel: There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle, the other is to see everything is a miracle.!