Living in these turbulent times is difficult. A global pandemic. Economic downturn. Political division. Racial injustice. Social unrest. The collective pressure of these external stressors can feel like concrete blocks on our shoulders that we can’t seem to drop.
One simple technique that has helped me slip out from under the weight of the world is shifting my attention from the macro to the micro. Intentionally tuning in to the small and everyday instead of the huge and glaring. I’m not talking about turning a blind eye to the problems we collectively face or ignoring the responsibility to do my part to help solve them. I’m talking about balancing that view with a renewed focus on the wonder of commonplace things.
The sweet warmth of my morning tea. The beautiful deep green color of our corner houseplant. The comfortable feeling of sliding into my well-worn slippers. The way the painting on our living room wall glows in the afternoon sun. The playfulness in my wife’s smile. The mind-boggling complexity of my hand. The taste of cherry pie. Opening my mind to the simple wonders around me provides a welcome counterbalance to the heaviness of the world. It brings wholeness to my perspective.
The celebrated philosopher and theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel said it better than I ever could:
“Our goal should be to live life in radical amazement… get up in the morning and look at the world in a way that takes nothing for granted. Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.”
abraham joshua heschel
I make this practice part of my daily routine. In the mornings, I slip out to our balcony and spend some time in meditation, prayer, and reading. Often I’ll start by intentionally noticing a few simple things around me and letting myself be gratefully amazed by them. Before bed, I’m back on the balcony, remembering the commonplace wonders I encountered throughout the day. This simple habit is usually enough to help me begin each day with a positive attitude and end it with a healthy realignment of my perspective.
What are the everyday wonders around you? When you pause for a moment to look, what catches your eye? What awakens amazement in you? As you learn to see life with simple awe, you’ll feel the weight of the world begin to slip from your shoulders, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.
This post was originally published in July of 2020.
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Crushed by the weight of the world?! You couldn't have said it any better. So much stuff going on. Not all bad. But it's easy to feel overwhelmed. I love what you said about making a point to notice and appreciate the small ordinary things. I'm a firm believer that when we make a habit of that, we become more grateful & content. When we focus on too many big things, we can be led into fear, anger, anxiety, etc. I actually just came out to the patio to decompress and there's a little bird with a red head & breast eating from the bird feeder. He's not more than five feet from me, watching me intently while he eats. What a blessing he is!
Thank you so much for sharing that perspective and that lovely story about the little bird! That is such a perfect example of what we're talking about :) Thanks for reading and passing on your insight. I love it!