Things I Have Learned to Notice

I think difficult seasons of life teach you how to pay attention. Not in the big, cinematic ways, but more so in the small ones.

The sound of keys jingling in an elevator.

The way my husband's hand instinctively finds my back when I cry.

A crow lingering in a tree just a little longer than feels ordinary.

The warmth of coffee between my hands.

The way the afternoon sun lands on the yard.

The fact that some flowers bloom after being cut back.

I used to think life was made up of milestones and big moments. One big pattern of cycles that we follow and recognize with those closest to us. Birthdays, graduations, weddings, milestones, promotions, babies. But these days I have been thinking more and more about how life is mostly made up of the small things. Tiny moments that would have otherwise gone unnoticed.

A text from a friend.

A cool shower during a heatwave.

A smile from a passing stranger.

A big stretch after waking up.

A really good peach, or apple.

An animal curling up next to you.

I don't think paying attention changes what we've been through, but I do think it changes how we move through it. The world is still full of beautiful, ordinary things, and lately, I've been trying very hard not to miss them.