One Starlit Night

It is not always that I go out into the late night but on this one night, I arrived home late. It was a crisp and cold night and I took a moment to look up into the night sky. Since there were no outside lights on in the house, the stars above shone with special brilliance.

Take For Granted
I started to think about other things as I gazed into the night sky. It hit me clearly that these beautiful stars were always there but I had taken very little time in the past to really appreciate them. It also reminded me that we often take for granted a lot of things around us being too caught up in our own little world, a world filled with busy work and the demands placed on us from what we have allowed to occupy our time.

But, I also know that we make our lives what we want. If we want more time to do those things that allow us to appreciate the beauty around us, then we will. It is not that circumstances control what we do with our mind and our time; it is more that we allow circumstances to have power over us. It may not be a conscious decision but it is nevertheless a decision over which we have control.

Appreciation For The Opportunity
Recently, I was asked to help do some home renovations for a family member. I agreed. When I arrived, it seemed like any other day where I spent my time doing something that I knew how to do. But, there was something else that came to mind as I started to work with my son-in-law. It was not a revelation but more of an appreciation for an opportunity. The opportunity was more than just spending time working on a basement renovation. It was an opportunity to build upon a relationship – to further a bond between two people who are related by marriage but are unrelated through few experiences.

It was an opportunity to build a stronger bond; a bond that can only happen when two people are exposed to each other’s skills and faults – for it is to be recognized that each person is unique, each person has their own philosophy in life, and that each person must allow another to be open to reveal their real feelings and characteristics. It was also an opportunity to share my knowledge and experience to another who wanted to learn.

Many Opportunities But Do We Take The Time
There are many chances to see beyond what is viewed as normal or routine but we must be able to actually open our eyes and hearts to these events. It isn’t enough to just talk about appreciation. To be in tune with what is around you, you must adopt the attitude of a child who screeches with joy the first time they see a rainbow, or the pretty song of a bird, or the splendor of a Christmas parade or the candles on their birthday cake.

Inspirational Quotes for Reflection:
“Our life becomes happier when we learn to appreciate all that we have rather than letting our focus be on what we do not have.” Catherine Pulsifer

“Practice beauty appreciation in as many places as possible. Nature provides a virtual smorgasbord of miracles. See the beauty in all of it.” Wayne Dyer

“Time is a gift that most of us take for granted.” Cheryl Richardson

“Sometimes we don’t realize the blessings we have until we no longer have them. Appreciate all the blessings in your life, take none for granted.” Catherine Pulsifer

“Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.”

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