Enjoying little things
November 29, 2020
The Jacaranda trees remain among some of my most vivid childhood memories. They were everywhere as were their fallen flowers. I loved how they made the sidewalks look like long lilac carpets. I would walk with head down utterly taken. Then, of course, were the mangoes, guavas and lychees that conveniently hung low enough for my friends and I to stretch our little arms and pick as we made our naughty way through the neighborhood. And how could I forget the massive avocado tree in our backyard? Its football-sized fruit could knock you out if you walked under it at the wrong time! I loved and enjoyed it all.
Then the business of growing up caught up with me. The small joys receded as the responsibilities of adulthood and the changes, small and large, brought by time pushed them aside. Opportunities to rest and “enjoy life” began to be weighed against the cost of rest. With a mind filled with concerns about some unresolved matter, the rich petals of sublime indigo hydrangeas became blank canvasses, ripe heavenly strawberries began to taste like water, and the bougainvillea lost their color.
But I remind myself that all creation is made for our enjoyment. As he prepared earth for Adam, God stopped to admire his creation. At least five times, the Bible says, he “saw that it was good” (Gen. 1). Jesus, also an observer of nature, saw in the beauty of lilies and the carefree birds a reminder of God’s love and care for people (Lk. 12:24-28). The beauty, majesty and goodness of God is all around us. We would see it if we simply stopped and took a moment to enjoy the little things.
Thank you for sharing! I pray that I can I step back and take in all the precious moments afforded to me – family, friends, breath, gift of sight and the list goes on.