This morning I looked out my kitchen window and could see a poppy mid-bloom, the green fuzzy wrapper being lofted up by the bright red-orange petals. I thought, I should go look at that up close to really appreciate the mechanics of it... I’ll just pour my coffee and... and one thing and another and half an hour later I went to look and it wasn’t mid anything. It was just bloomed. So... Notice. AND investigate before the moment is gone.
Lovely post, Rob. Thanks. It came at a good time. Your thoughts reinforced a resolve of mine to pay more attention to the environment I am in rather than thinking ahead to what comes next. I am an INFJ in the Myers-Briggs system, which means I often am thinking about what I will do afterward instead of noticing things right under my nose.
I recently took a trip over the Andes mountains here in Ecuador. Adjusting to the hairpin turns was no easy feat since I was constantly making the effort of not losing my lunch. The scenery was breathtaking. I savored every shifting change. I realized that the local people who till their small farms wake up every morning seeing what they have always seen, taking no special note of it. (Millions would pay the highest price to have a view like that.) I resolved to change my ways and enjoy every trip I will ever take and the details of each day of life.
Yes! Rabbi Joshua Heshel talked of living with "radical amazement" taking in the every day and recognizing the awe, the special nature of the experiences of living.
Love the idea of a longtime home task book! Must make it a reality.
The prompt about taking note of those small moments that catch you off guard (especially in place of taking a photo) is great - thank you for that. How likely are we to go back and look at the photo anyway? I always enjoy coming across forgotten notes like that, usually years into the future.
I was recently in the home of a relative who'd died and found some of her old notebooks, which were a fascinating insight into her life and sense of humour. They were just filled with little interactions she'd had, things she'd overheard or heard on the radio and thought were amusing or interesting. I felt like I knew her better after reading some of them.
On the way to teach my last ballet class of the season, police officer was holding traffic, patiently waiting for a huge snapping turtle to cross the road. I couldn’t stop smiling about it for the rest of the day.
on this AM's walk I say 7 huge aromatic cactus blooms... so lovely and so fleeting.. next door to that was a huge fully blooming bougainvillea.. San Diego red that i swear, was vibrating on this overcast day.... being in the present.. breathing deeply the cactus flowers and memorizing the magenta... so to celebrate i came home and stood in the yard (amongst weeds, boo) and drew my matillija (sp?) poppies and now will add watercolor.. weeds be damned, I love these gifts that fill the eyes..
I write daily haiku on our morning dog walks about things I see, smell & hear - and the exercise of capturing it in the haiku form somehow makes me savor and explore it - notice it - even more. Some are absolute drivel, some are pretty good - but all capture that fleeting moment of total attention. "This morning we ran
Yes. This. I have those moments where I'm seeing something and I wish I had a picture of it but I know that by the time I get my camera out that moment will be gone and I will also have missed appreciating it so I just take it in as long as I can. I commit it to my memory and then find a spot to write about it later. Though I have never had a specific journal just for that. I think I'll start. It will make me do it more often.
On a similar note. My children are always asking me to take pictures of things. My phone is so full of picture of weird fruit that they are eating or strange rocks etc. Sometimes I just can't take a picture for them so my kids started taking pretend pictures of things. They hold up their hands and move their finger as if to take the picture and make the camera clicking sound as they do it and commit it to memory. perhaps we should take this exercise a bit further...
One of my favorite "never again" moments was last summer while I was gather pollinator data for a citizen science project. While I sat counting insects on flowers, a hummingbird flew in for some nectar. I held still and that tiny winged creature looked me in the eye and went back to drinking from the flower. I couldn't take a photo as it would have disturbed the moment so I just enjoyed it and later memorialized it in a poem.
The hum of her wings
She pauses in the air. Stares. Peeps.
Purple nectar treat.
And as for my 6 weeks kids in nature noticing and exploring. It was interesting. First lesson learned, be on the same page as your program partner. We were not and it had some uncomfortable moments. Two: Spring in Illinois is also often an extended winter, plan for all kinds of weather. Three: sit down with the child who seems to distracted and let him draw and tell you the story of your outing. You will be amazed at what the child noticed and remembered. Four: try the program in the fall, you are mire mentally prepare or cold weather. Five: I think it's over-rated to leave your plans open so kids can help make the plan. Make the plans, inform everyone and be ready, willing, and able to pivot when a fun idea come up. I may try the program again this fall. I will have my plan and find a partner who wants to help me implement the plan. Last thing: the Merlin Bird app is really cool. In love time you can record the birds and discover who's singing.
Never Again! (In a Good Way)
This morning I looked out my kitchen window and could see a poppy mid-bloom, the green fuzzy wrapper being lofted up by the bright red-orange petals. I thought, I should go look at that up close to really appreciate the mechanics of it... I’ll just pour my coffee and... and one thing and another and half an hour later I went to look and it wasn’t mid anything. It was just bloomed. So... Notice. AND investigate before the moment is gone.
Lovely post, Rob. Thanks. It came at a good time. Your thoughts reinforced a resolve of mine to pay more attention to the environment I am in rather than thinking ahead to what comes next. I am an INFJ in the Myers-Briggs system, which means I often am thinking about what I will do afterward instead of noticing things right under my nose.
I recently took a trip over the Andes mountains here in Ecuador. Adjusting to the hairpin turns was no easy feat since I was constantly making the effort of not losing my lunch. The scenery was breathtaking. I savored every shifting change. I realized that the local people who till their small farms wake up every morning seeing what they have always seen, taking no special note of it. (Millions would pay the highest price to have a view like that.) I resolved to change my ways and enjoy every trip I will ever take and the details of each day of life.
Yes! Rabbi Joshua Heshel talked of living with "radical amazement" taking in the every day and recognizing the awe, the special nature of the experiences of living.
Love the idea of a longtime home task book! Must make it a reality.
The prompt about taking note of those small moments that catch you off guard (especially in place of taking a photo) is great - thank you for that. How likely are we to go back and look at the photo anyway? I always enjoy coming across forgotten notes like that, usually years into the future.
I was recently in the home of a relative who'd died and found some of her old notebooks, which were a fascinating insight into her life and sense of humour. They were just filled with little interactions she'd had, things she'd overheard or heard on the radio and thought were amusing or interesting. I felt like I knew her better after reading some of them.
On the way to teach my last ballet class of the season, police officer was holding traffic, patiently waiting for a huge snapping turtle to cross the road. I couldn’t stop smiling about it for the rest of the day.
on this AM's walk I say 7 huge aromatic cactus blooms... so lovely and so fleeting.. next door to that was a huge fully blooming bougainvillea.. San Diego red that i swear, was vibrating on this overcast day.... being in the present.. breathing deeply the cactus flowers and memorizing the magenta... so to celebrate i came home and stood in the yard (amongst weeds, boo) and drew my matillija (sp?) poppies and now will add watercolor.. weeds be damned, I love these gifts that fill the eyes..
I write daily haiku on our morning dog walks about things I see, smell & hear - and the exercise of capturing it in the haiku form somehow makes me savor and explore it - notice it - even more. Some are absolute drivel, some are pretty good - but all capture that fleeting moment of total attention. "This morning we ran
Through misty backlit sprinklers
Diamonds in our fur."
Yes. This. I have those moments where I'm seeing something and I wish I had a picture of it but I know that by the time I get my camera out that moment will be gone and I will also have missed appreciating it so I just take it in as long as I can. I commit it to my memory and then find a spot to write about it later. Though I have never had a specific journal just for that. I think I'll start. It will make me do it more often.
On a similar note. My children are always asking me to take pictures of things. My phone is so full of picture of weird fruit that they are eating or strange rocks etc. Sometimes I just can't take a picture for them so my kids started taking pretend pictures of things. They hold up their hands and move their finger as if to take the picture and make the camera clicking sound as they do it and commit it to memory. perhaps we should take this exercise a bit further...
One of my favorite "never again" moments was last summer while I was gather pollinator data for a citizen science project. While I sat counting insects on flowers, a hummingbird flew in for some nectar. I held still and that tiny winged creature looked me in the eye and went back to drinking from the flower. I couldn't take a photo as it would have disturbed the moment so I just enjoyed it and later memorialized it in a poem.
The hum of her wings
She pauses in the air. Stares. Peeps.
Purple nectar treat.
And as for my 6 weeks kids in nature noticing and exploring. It was interesting. First lesson learned, be on the same page as your program partner. We were not and it had some uncomfortable moments. Two: Spring in Illinois is also often an extended winter, plan for all kinds of weather. Three: sit down with the child who seems to distracted and let him draw and tell you the story of your outing. You will be amazed at what the child noticed and remembered. Four: try the program in the fall, you are mire mentally prepare or cold weather. Five: I think it's over-rated to leave your plans open so kids can help make the plan. Make the plans, inform everyone and be ready, willing, and able to pivot when a fun idea come up. I may try the program again this fall. I will have my plan and find a partner who wants to help me implement the plan. Last thing: the Merlin Bird app is really cool. In love time you can record the birds and discover who's singing.
Looking forward to the book arriving and excited for gateways to curiosity ❤️
Love the "I wonder . . . " game.
Every week you have such great prompts. Thank you!
Thank you for this!
Your ‘self help’ article is the best thing I’ve ever read. Thank you.
❤️