Wonder

Last night I did something that I have done a few times since I was a child. The fascination and wonder at what happened still captures me.

I put sunflower seeds on wet paper towels and covered them with clear wrap to watch them germinate. I did it in college to some daisy seeds. It is an amazing process that I never want to be bored of. I showed my husband and he had little recollection of doing the same thing as a child. I was shocked. Didn't every child have the science project of watching seeds grow? So I put them on his windowsill so we can watch it together. I am excited!

Years ago a book came out which until recently I still had a copy of on my desk...Everything I Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Robert Fulghum. I was and still am struck by the book. I have a few of his subsequent books. I enjoy reading them still! I have met him. I don't need to say that his ideas struck me, because it is deeper than that. His books are filled with vignettes of real life told from many perspectives. Told for the purpose to share yet take us back to the wonder of being HERE and HERE NOW. I never stop thinking of the wonder life can offer us. It is my hope that the seeds can reconnect me with that wonder.

I am good at that. Seeing something in the mundane which makes me just stop. So I share it. One of the people I enjoy sharing with is a friend at work. Whether he is feigning interest or not, he seems to enjoy hearing what I have to say. I remember once taking my dogs into be groomed. On the counter was an aquarium. Fish, plants, rocks. I always marvelled at the efficiency and containment of those little environments. THEN I SAW THEM....frogs. Dashing from one side of the aquarium to another. I was mesmerized. I asked tons of questions. Mostly wanting to know where to get them. It was near Christmas so I figured Santa could bring me frogs! I was excited. They darted, they climbed, they soared through the water. How amazing to have a little bit of nature THERE on the counter of my groomer. Wow. I went to work & shared the frog story. He stopped what he was doing & looked at me. I paused for that OH CRAP moment....where you figure you are now sounding like an idiot and you should stop. He told me that it was a breath of fresh air to hear me find something amazing in what is around me, to see something fascinating in the every day. I blinked...I do? Yup, and don't ever stop. I had never realized that I did that. What a great trait.

I will say some of my greatest moments of humor have come from that sense of observation. Seeing what people do without thinking and see the funny aspects of it, wow, what an open invitation to laugh...both at others and ourselves. Like the guy who was sooo pissed that I cut him off on the freeway that he OPENED HIS DOOR to flip me off. That one almost made me STOP in wonderment. I could not believe that me cutting him off elicited such anger, frustration and basic hostility that he would risk his life to give me the bird. I still remember being on the phone and being speechless. I couldn't explain it then and I really don't think I covered it now...it really was amazing to see. And I created that reaction! What power.

Back to Robert Fulghum. His second book just solidified my affection for the way life should be viewed...It Was on Fire When I Layed Down. No lie. That is another book I bought just to find out where the title came from. I have read the story countless times and I still can't see how it happened. Typing this I remember having his books at my bedside to read a short story a night. There are some which will make me laugh so hard, my eyes squish shut so I can't read until I stop laughing. There are some which make me cry....even now I have a tingly nose thinking of them. There are some which you really don't see/feel the impact until much later. And there are some stories which just make you say "hmmm". I love the fact that his stories are everyday posts from life. Stories that make you wanna jump up with your hand raised and share a similar story. "OOOHHHH, pick me". I guess being up this early in the morning typing this is a reminder that I need to pick up the books and keep them at my bedside again.

The seeds haven't done anything in 6 hours that I can see. But you and I both know there is amazing little God stuff happening right now...on the wet paper towels....and I will be able to wonder at that little God stuff in the weeks to come....wow, how friggin awesome is THAT?

Be great to you!
H