Life seems to slow down when I get sick, even (or maybe especially) when it’s the common cold. I breathe slow. I spend a lot of time on the couch, reading, sleeping and watching bad movies. My mind seems to get mired in molasses, and I find it incredibly hard to think. Working through everyday tasks is a frustratingly slow process.
There are times when I welcome the setback; when life seems particularly overwhelming, challenging or I’m simply stuck in a rut. I embrace the time I’ve been given to stop and look around. The difficulty I have trying to think is usually a blessing in disguise… It forces me to STOP thinking. And for me, that can be a good thing.
I believe my body somehow knows when I’m getting too mired in my own thoughts to notice the little things and figures out a way to slow me down as best it can. So today I am feeling grateful to be getting better. I am grateful to be breathing easier. And I am grateful to have been sick.
I wish I remembered to notice all the little things each and every day, but I don’t. I try. I think I’m doing better than I used to, and could do better still. I am taking time again to notice the little things. To take an extra moment to see or hear something I’d usually overlook.
- The greens and yellow of the leaves in our house plants… and one leaf is even tinged with a deep red. Beautiful.
- The texture and taste of a home-cooked meal (or chocolate chip cookie) on my tongue.
- The way the sun reflects off the ice as I’m running through the mountains.
- The feel of rough granite beneath my fingertips.
- The warmth of the sun on a crisp day.
- An extra moment taken to look into a child’s eyes as they tell me a story. And really hear what they’re saying. I smile.
- Stopping for a moment during a run to look around, grateful for the beauty of winter.
- A second taken to look into the eyes of a homeless man and greet him with a smile.
I invite you to take an extra moment today to notice something small. It may alter the direction of your day.
