Lately, I've been keenly aware of the exquisite beauty in every moment. It's as if my vision has been altered and I see brilliance wherever I place my gaze. It could be on the elegance of a white rose against the greenery in it's vase, the sunshine caressing against my window pane, the sweet smell of an afternoon coffee, the joy of a freshly vacuumed living room, or the sounds of the kids in the neighborhood playing outside. All I know, is that whatever catches my attention is fundamentally intensified and my days seem to have an expectation in them.
It took me a bit to realize that my senses had been heightened by this unexplained phenomenon, as I am not one who is prone to stop and smell the roses.....ain't nobody got time for that! But now that I have become acclimated to these new "glasses" that I have been given, my everyday world has turned into a kaleidoscope. I began asking, when did this vision change happen and more importantly, why did it happen? Something inside of me has been rearranged - I can feel it in my bones.
As I started to dissect my recent sight adjustment, I began to surmise where it's onset originated. It was on February 29, a rare, but beautiful date in and of itself, and I was home working on anything and everything relating to my recent plank walk into The ONION Peel. As I sat at my computer telling myself I was never going to be able to make a dent into the menagerie of social media platforms, my phone giggled (fun fact: my notifications are set to the minions laughing) alerting me that I had a new message. I looked down to see that it was from my daughter, who had left an hour earlier to attend her Sadie Hawkins dance at school. Upon opening her message, I was greeted by a picture of her and her friends, dressed up for the dance, apparently at the grocery store where they were all holding onions in their hands! My heart, literally, melted right then and there. How incredible was it that a bunch of young people, out enjoying their youthfulness, would stop for one moment to think about me, a middle aged mom sitting home in her usual Saturday night of obscurity. Wow.
I paused and soaked in their excitement. Do they think The ONION Peel is 'cool'? Whoa. Does that mean that I could actually be relevant in this online world of vastness? Was it possible that I might be able to find my way through the noise, after all? If they think my mission of sharing hope is worthwhile, well, then, it must be.
There, right in the midst of my doubtful, overwhelmed mindset, a gift of substance arrived through my daughter and her friends. Their small gesture gave me an affirmation of purpose which, in turn, renewed my spirit. God gave me exactly what I needed right when I needed it. Simple in content. Simple in delivery. A simple message saying keep leaning forward into your heart's pursuit. Sometimes, that's all we need to change our outlook on life, a simple encouragement. The key is to recognize the ray of hope that is presented to us. To stop and let it fill our souls. That's all I did was breath in the beauty of that moment and my entire being was refreshed. That moment transformed my perception and reminded me of the possibility and inspiration in each and every thing that surrounds me.
All that from a bunch of teenagers holding a handful of onions.
Hope is everywhere. That is what I've learned. That is what is truth. And that is what we should live in. The rainbow is always there.
"I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is a sign of my covenant with you and all the earth."
Genesis 9:13
“Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!”
Romans 15:13
