Monday, May 14, 2007

Tiny Wonders

I met a woman I know slightly, as I walked through town the other day.

We stopped and chatted for a bit. I knew her from Yoga; we had formed a friendship since we were partners in forming various poses.

We caught up with each other's lives, as neither of us go to Yoga anymore...Tai Chi seems to be more our style. Older bodies, you know.

She caught herself, as she told me about the various life events that had happened recently to her family...none of them joyous ones.

She commented on how, when we look back on the times in our lives, we generally remember the difficult occurrences, while the small pleasures get overlooked...and forgotten.

I remarked that perhaps the big, effervescent joyous ones don't happen as often as the large, doleful times. But she said there were so many small joys in her life, and those small joys made life bearable. But would anybody be interested in hearing how she had watched the first hummingbird at her feeder during this barely there Spring?

Would anybody be interested in the fruit tree that had blown over during one of this Winter's horrendous Wind Storms...but even with its roots bare and damaged and open to the Sky, it was covered with blossoms, more than it ever had before?

And would it keep people's attention, if she told them about her grandson, who, after being held back in Grade 2, finally grasped his lesson concepts...and was now at the head of his class?

She laughed and said she didn't want to be a Pollyanna...

I have always felt an affinity with those of us who notice the little, bright lights in life. The ones who delight in watching the waves hit the shore, sometimes slowly, and sometimes with a huge, thundering splash. Gardeners watch small miracles all the time...in the unfurling of a Butterflies' wings, in the families of Birds, whose greatest joy is finding a large Worm, in the Daffodils and Tulips that bloom so brightly even in the face of terrible, inclement weather. And I enjoy hearing about them from others.

I notice, however, that recounting the tale of a small miracle brings embarrassment to some...as if noticing such a small slice of life is not worthy of mention.

It shows the sensitive nature of the person. And sensitivity is not much admired in a rough, tough world, where hiding emotions is more the norm. Unless the person is very comfortable with himself, it is perturbing to show this inner part. The part that still insists on seeing wonders.

A strange thing happens, when this kind of vulnerability is shared. Almost furtively, their eyes darting away from mine, until finally a level of comfort is reached...they will tell me of an amazing occurrence in their lives. And wait for my reaction.

It is always a smile, and another similar story from me. Before I know it, the person's energy field lightens, becomes brighter, more wondrous! I watch a surprise weight being lifted off shoulders. I am the lucky recipient of many stories of budding awareness of Mother Nature and her miracles.

We parted, my friend and I, each with a lighter step, each having reached another step on the ladder to friendship...

After all, Pollyanna is one of my favourite characters.

26 comments:

  1. Blogues puts all the MADELEINE photo in yours, a girl of 4 years of age that was abducted in day 2 in the Beach of the Light, in the Algarve, Portugal. They send the image of MADELEINE to all blogues of Morocco, Tunisia and Argel, thanks a lot

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  2. marion,
    As far as I am concerned, we need more Pollyanna's in this world. :-) Everyone needs a person like that in their lives, because it really IS the small things in life that give us the greatest pleasures and fondest memories. hugsssssssssssssssss

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  3. Marion,
    This is a wonderful post and learning to recognize the wonderful "small" moments when they occur is an art form. I think we all need to be reminded to appreciate the joys such as they are, they are given to us. With diligence and effort, we can all learn to do this, more than we do.

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  4. Marion the bird on my photo is a Cormorant, they are quite common here.
    I loved your post and off course again the pictures.
    I have realised when I started to speak english in Australia it was like a 'under cover cloak' to me and I was more honest and open to people, it was amazing how revealing truths and feelings have made others open up to me too. In SA people were always concerned of what would people think of us and I have found that by being honest people dont think any worse of you, they rather begin supporting you. That's why I love blogging so much.

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  5. I agree with Lorna that we need more Pollyannas. Beautiful post Marion. Glad I was able to get over for a visit.

    tea
    xo

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  6. I am with you Marion. I love to hear the words and see the faces of the individuals who talk about the "small" miracles in life. The feelings that are conveyed stir my emotions as much as the story teller's. It reminds me to let nothing go unnoticed and enjoy all the things in this life. When we notice all we realize, again, that we are all one in this universe. What wonderful post you put out for us. Now let me get back to watching the fuzz of the dandilion blow in the breeze

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  7. oh, i so love this, i love the litle things in life. just the other day i noticed 2 wriggly bright yellow caterpillar munching away one of my plant! so cute! how delightful!

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  8. Great post Marion. Life goes by so fast, it's important to stop and appreciate the small things that make it so special. I loved the Polyanna story. It's popular here in England too. I agree we need more Polyannas in the world

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  9. David, I have kept up with Maddy's story. My prayers go out to Maddy and her family. I am in awe of how bloggers have come together to publicize it and show her picture. I am presently in the process of doing the same.

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  10. Lorna, Pollyanna was a favourite character of mine, a role model, you might say, lol!

    Those small things are so full of wonder. They make my problems so insignificant, as my awareness grows.

    And, Princess, you are so right...noticing and awareness does take huge diligence, and constant effort.

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  11. Ahh, the Cormorant of Fisherman's Fame. It is a beautiful photo, Hann, very creative. It stirred something inside myself, thank you for posting it on your blog.

    Peoples' eyes dance when their tiny wonders are revealed and shared with me, and the energy field becomes so much happier!

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  12. Thanks for the visit, Tea...I know how extremely busy you are!

    Exactly, Dave...sometimes I get so caught up in watching the transformation come over a person, I am completely entranced by it and find I am not listening as well as I should be, lol.

    I've got lots of dandelions to watch, if you need to find more, lol!

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  13. Alison...yellow caterpillars! I've not seen that colour...what a photo that would make, yellow against the green.

    Aren't they amazing, the way they so singlemindedly munch away, sometimes just plowing through a leaf with stubborn tenacity! Food is all.

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  14. I think it was just yesterday, wasn't it, when I was five and closer to the ground to see these wonders,lol?

    Naomi, life does pass so quickly and I can get all caught up in the dramas and chaos, which pass by just as quickly as they appear.

    I would rather get caught up in the miracles...

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  15. Beautiful Photographs Marion, I never noticed this before.. but the black background of your blog.. just makes those pictures pop.. quite beautiful.

    Great post!

    The Simplest moments, tend to be the best moments. :)

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  16. In my Sunday School days we used to sing 'count your blessings' which I went through a phase of thinking was rather twee - but now, despite my (ahem) 'Theological Sophistication' i realise how important, and valuable, it is to hold on to those small glimpses of grace in the everyday.

    Thank you for this post, Marion.

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  17. Pollyanna also a favorite of mine as well.

    Wonderful post and photos.

    Sent you an email Marion but no reply so maybe it was lost in cyberspace.

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  18. Marion, another great post and the reason I keep returning here. I've been hit or miss with blogging lately, but you inspired me to write about my little joy of yesterday. Keep sharing.

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  19. Marion, you've written a wonderful reminder about the importance of paying attention to the small wonders we encounter on a daily basis. It's hard to maintain a bad mood if one is aware of all those tiny, beautiful miracles.

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  20. Matt...it's one of my favourite ways to display colour, with the dark indigo blue background. I used it with my paintings, too!

    Alastair..."small glimpses of grace in the everyday."...I really like this phrase. Thanks for taking the time to visit!

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  21. Jackie, this'll show you how behind in everything I am...I haven't had time to even answer the comments, Lol. But you did get my email back to you, finally, and thank you for the return!

    Sheila, I'm amazed you can even blog at all, with the move, etc.! But I'm beginning to understand when you say how difficult it is for you to stay away from writing, lol!

    I'm going off to your site as soon as I finish this, to find your joy!

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  22. Velvet, when I choose to be in a bad mood, a spaceship could land right in front of me and I wouldn't notice, lol!

    But you're right...a scowly, negative mood doesn't last when I'm ready to take a walk outside in the garden...into another world.

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  23. Anonymous10:34 a.m.

    It's too easy to remember the heavier matters. The good stuff seems to sift right past us, lovely while it's here but ephemeral and too easily lost in the midst of life's drama. We humans tend to be drama queens, every one of us, and obsess over every little sadness and forget the little joys.

    "I know it's silly, but. . ." should never have to preceded a memory or observation that is soft, pleasant, and beautiful. That isn't silly at all, but what makes life worth living.

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  24. Very nice photos. I am still trying to perfect the vague background with focused stamens. Aperture variation?
    Sorry to read of katrina but you have bree to remind you, which many parents do not. Sometimes I wonder if its better to have had no children or to have suffered the loss of one. I think probably the latter.
    We must measure our tomatoes at the biggest diameter just as they are picked, probably in july?

    Nice to hear from you.

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  25. "We humans tend to be drama queens, every one of us, and obsess over every little sadness and forget the little joys."...I so agree, Barbara, well put!

    Goatman, I would not give up a minute of the time I had with Katrina. You are so right, it was better to have her with us for a little while.

    Would you believe that photo came out that way? Lol, without me doing anything. Wish I knew what I did!

    Ummm...tomatoes will perhaps be ripe in August, unless the weather changes and gets warmer, for a period of time!

    I will measure that big tomato, though, just before I pick it...and weigh it to boot, lol!

    I'd better not be too cocky!

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  26. Anonymous9:33 p.m.

    Ah...Marion, I'm so sorry about your daughter. I know it's been years, and I know you've got Bree. There's only so much healing that time can do though, eh? I can't imagine life without Darling...

    Take care, my friend!

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