Do You Notice What You’ve Got?
Today I want to turn our attention to things we never notice because they're already working. The refrain in Joni Mitchell’s song Big Yellow Taxi says, “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?”
A long time ago, when my back was injured, several of my toes went numb. That was when I noticed how great the other foot felt and how wonderful it was to wiggle those toes and feel everything easily without any effort. I had never given that a single thought before. But noticing that helped me notice how well my hands always work without effort or attention.
Our senses quietly bless us a zillion times a day. If, in this moment, you suddenly lost your vision and would never see again, would you notice what you’d lost? Do you think you'd regret never having savored and appreciated the miracle of sight?
If tomorrow your hearing was gone, could it be that would you wish you’d listened to music more closely, or enjoyed the sound of your children’s voices without being distracted by something else?
So much in our lives as well as our bodies works so well we never notice.
Today is a good day to choose to notice. Are there people who love you in the world? Would you notice if they were suddenly gone? Appreciate them today.
Is your home a comfortable sanctuary? Do the things you have around you serve you pretty well? Are your pets affectionate and healthy?
Are you strong physically? Healthy and well? Is your mind sharp and your memory reliable? Can you work a full day and enjoy coming home and having good food? Are you employed doing something fulfilling that makes life better in some way?
You get the idea. These lists could go on and on. Instead of making a list of all the things you want to add to your good life, why not make a different list: a list of everything that makes your life good right now.
Maybe there is more to appreciate than you remembered until now. Choose to let today be a wonderful day of appreciation and gratitude.
