Giving Thanks For the Simplest Things

When you acknowledge and give thanks for even the smallest things that put a smile on your face, the feeling of joy and happiness amasses in your heart. St. Clare said to notice even the smallest blade of grass and we can.

There is a Poor Clares monastery in Los Altos Hills, which I visited yesterday. They have no internet or TV. The only ways to contact them are through phone, snail mail or in person visit. Yet, the ladies here are so full of joy.

Look. Really Look.

So I went for a walk around Shoreline today. There were some beautiful flowering trees and scenes as the sun hit things at just the right angle. Too bad I didn't have anything to capture photos, right? Perhaps. Because I didn't have my camera, I had to really take in what I was seeing, memorizing the color, the shapes, the moment.

white sailboats, all without sails except 1
gray and blue sky
sun streaming from the right
emerald green grass, warm wind blowing gently
purple, pink, yellow puffy flowers dotting the trees
birds with shiny black glistening heads, pecking at the putting green

Do You Stop and Savor the Moment?

One of my favorite moments in spring is when I look up at the indigo sky and see white flower petals contrasted so shockingly against inky blackness. Flower fragrances intensify the warm evening air. What can be better than when rain has also just fallen, adding an enriching scent. This is spring at night in California.

During the day, flowering trees take on a more pure and innocent character. Petals blush pink and the visual details are a feast for the eyes. Next time you see something pretty, pause a moment. Breathe deeply and take it all in. You won't regret it.