Daily Inspiration 2-17-18

"Enveloped in Your Light, 

may I be a beacon

to those in search of Light. 

Sheltered in Your Peace, 

may I offer shelter

to those in need of peace. 

Embraced by Your Presence, 

so may I be present to others." 

-- Rabbi Rami Shapiro 

[Classic post from 11-22-16]

I would like to share just a bit of my day yesterday when I was out doing errands. I needed just a few things, so I stopped at the grocery store. The parking lot was almost full, and still, I found a spot near the door. I went in, pulled out a cart and was a bit surprised how many people were in there. It was actually kind of crowded, so I thought, well, this is interesting, and it must be people getting ready for Thanksgiving.

I have a smile on my face and I am having a good time being courteous to cart traffic, looking people in the eye and smiling at them. Almost everyone in there had such a serious look on their face. This made me smile all the more. To be so serious looked out of place. A few who recognized that I was looking at them smiling, chose to accept some of that love and smiled back, if even for a few moments.

I wasn't trying to change them. I was enjoying watching them. I wasn't smiling at them so that they would smile back, I was appreciating each one, as each was unique. It was fun for me, and it was also pleasing when one would return the smile.

I got what I needed, check out was busy yet timely, and I got in my truck to go home. As I pulled out into traffic there was enough space in front of me that I had the opportunity to look up. We've had a bit of rain and cloudiness for the last few days, and today was mostly sunny, but in the afternoon, there were some clouds coming through the area.

As I looked up, in one moment I took in a cloud formation in front of me that the setting sun's light hit just so that it was like the grandest painting you could imagine. Parts of the cloud formation were shaded and part was brilliantly lit up, and it took my breath away. It's funny how clouds do that quite often to me these days.

My day, although very good, instantly went from a seven to a ten. And, it was only a moment because I had to watch the traffic in front of me. As I drove, I wanted more, but it wasn't the same. It was good, but nowhere near the spectacular sight, I saw just moments ago.

Then I thought, isn't that fascinating! It is amazing how much power, joy, and depth of experience I can notice in but one single moment. It caused me to think of so many things that I experience and how when something feels really special in some way that I want to experience it longer, wanting it to last, to savor it. Sometimes I can and do, because, why not? But, what I realized during this experience is that I don't need to. Yes, I want to, I would love to extend that joy, but even only to touch it for a moment is a full experience. I had never realized that fullness before. And as I contemplated all of that, I was in pure joy.

I experience these events throughout my day now. Whether I am glancing at the squirrel in my courtyard chewing on a succulent, birds feasting, the sun setting, the sun rising, the rain--it pretty much doesn't matter what I see anymore--I see beauty, magnificence, and I'm enchanted with it all. It makes me feel like I have arrived at this place where I want to savor it all, even if many are but moments in time.


"Every Natural Object Is A Conductor Of Divinity." -- John Muir 

Spread Some Joy Today--by finding things to appreciate that are all around you every moment of every day. Delight in them or not, but joy is in the delight.