Are you somebody who notices things? I mean, we’re surrounded by things, so the question almost seems rhetorical. We definitely see things, but do we notice them? Are we prone to notice details, shades, degrees, or nuances? Do we even bother to look beyond the quick glance? Sometimes, maybe oftentimes, we don’t have the luxury to stop and see the roses, if I may butcher a cliche. We’re busy doing what needs to be done, tunnel visioning our way through the day. But if we allow ourselves, we can find inspiration, encouragement, or even amusement in the mundane tasks of the day, most notably on our daily commute without being dangerously distracted. We’ve all seen a bumper sticker that made us think. One that always cracked me up was “Keep Honking. I’m Reloading.” Another was “Welcome To Florida. Now Go Back Home.” Wouldn’t surprise me to see both on the same pickup truck. Rarely, a sight so amazing will astound us. Most of us have watched a driver in the car next to us eating something. Heck, we’ve done it ourselves. Who hasn’t plowed through a bag of Funyuns, some cookies, or a slice of cold pizza while navigating the nation’s highways and byways? Occasionally, we might find the need to finish off a sub sandwich, requiring both hands, using our knees to steer the car. But I’m willing to bet that only a select few, if that many, have observed a guy eating a bowl of soup. With a spoon. I have. I’m still not sure whether to be horrified or duly impressed. Or both.
I’ve lived at my current address for 23 years. Needless to say, I’m very familiar with my surroundings. I try not to take them for granted, but still do. What somebody from another part of the country may deem scenic or noteworthy can be background “noise” for me if I allow it. It seems as though there are palm trees, Spanish moss, tropical plants, lizards, armadillos, and hawks everywhere. During the hottest months, we are treated to a daily lightning show. Add in the occasional gator, and its quite the visual cornucopia. I’m betting most people have never seen all of these sights. I like to ride my bike on a local trail. On a recent ride, I saw a bald eagle perched upon a pole, not too far from me. On another ride, I saw a dude maneuvering a unicycle along the trail. I’m still undecided on which I found more extraordinary. In the last five years, I’ve witnessed more bald eagles than dudes on unicycles. I’d have to say, the unicyclist looked like he was having fun. I thought, “I should learn to ride a unicycle.” Then I thought, “I should hurl myself down a flight of stairs”, because the result would be the same.
There is so much to take in, from the beauty and grandeur of God’s creation to that which was crafted by man. It is up to us in how we respond. We can choose to ignore what the Lord has laid before our eyes or react in a way that will bring Him glory.
(Click “Stand on Firmer Ground” for a deeper look into Bald Eagles And A Dude On A Unicycle)