What do you notice?

Can you see me?, originally uploaded by nutrigardener.

The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change; until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds. R.D. Laing

Not to get overly significant about a picture of a bird in some bushes, or quote stating the obvious, but after reading Blink (a short review to come!), which effectively illustrates how much of our perceptions are registered subconsciously and effect our actions without our knowledge, I thought this a nice combination. There is so much sensory and emotional richness there for the looking!

It seems to me we miss things and end up feeling clueless or fail to empathize, or maybe simply gulp down our morning coffee without noticing how good it tastes. It takes a bit of concentration and humility to slow down, quiet the distractions and pay attention. If I had been rowing the boat I was in when I spotted the bird, I might have missed him due to another preoccupation. Funny too-I would have felt much more important if I was rowing. Would that have been worth missing the point of the trip? Hmm-in this small and silly example, my life is just a tiny bit bigger for “letting someone else row the boat.” Too bad all of life isn’t like life in a boat in Guatemala with a tour guide, right? Anyway, here’s to slowing down and learning to smell the DIFFERENCES between all the roses out there!