.what you haven't been looking for.

driving down a road i've been down many times before (not metaphorically), i was on auto-pilot as my wheels used their memory to take the curves with ease as i adjusted the volume on the stereo. but this particular drive, this particular morning, on this familiar stretch of pavement, my head pivoted left and i felt my breath catch. there was no catastrophe or exotic animal or new store amidst these common brick homes. instead what caught my eye was the most beautiful, big garden.

in that instant, my eyes took in a scene of rows upon rows of glorious flowers in an array of colors. an elderly lady was tending this garden talking to what was surely her pride and joy. this was no simple boxed garden in a front yard, but rather a plot big enough for another house with petaled residents taking root, calling it home. how had i driven by here so many times and not seen this? i was overwhelmed by the natural beauty and purity of the scene and even more so by the sudden discovery.

this caused me to start thinking about how often we travel (ok, now this part is metaphorical) in our own lives on auto-pilot and miss those little moments that can stun us into happiness. many times we get so accustomed to our routine that we forget to look for what may be right in front of us. in our most comfortable relationships with friends, family, significant others, it is so easy to miss opportunities. there's a subtle beauty there if we allow ourselves to take a step back and appreciate what is flourishing and could truly bloom with a little attention. the new, the different, those are enticing and exciting roads, but i hope to never quit looking around the paths closer to home.

i'd like to promise myself to keep my focus adjusted so that the life, the people, the experiences closest to me are never taken for granted. let me always find in my husband what drew me to him in the first place. let me remember my roots and cherish the family i have and am creating. let me tend to my friendships with the care and attention each one deserves. let me hold the life i've chosen so close to my heart that sometimes it is hard to take the next breath without appreciating that which is giving it pressure.

i encourage you- look at your life right at this moment. pull the curtain closed on potential and possibility for just this instant and put the spotlight on what really is around you, what has been there all along. tend to it, love it for what it is or who it is, avoid taking it for granted. find the beauty in your very own ordinary. you may be surprised to find out you've had exactly what you haven't been looking for all along.