Failing to Notice

by Ray Reuter on July 9, 2015

North Shore - 1 (1)The picture in this post is a pink lady’s slipper wildflower growing along a hiking path in Cascade River State Park in northern Minnesota. This wildflower is pretty rare. We noticed them because they were pointed out to us by an avid hiker and wildflower observer. He was taking pictures and attempting to “pin” the location on a map so his wife could come and see it. Without his guidance, it’s possible Julie and I would not have noticed these rare wildflowers. It represents to me those things in life that are beautiful, that are along the beaten path, that are rare, that go most of the time unnoticed. How sad. A potential missed opportunity. A gift unopened.

I think of how many things I have missed along the journey because I failed to look and notice. There is tremendous beauty and treasure in our lives, along the path. We may tell ourselves that it does not exist, yet the truth is we / I do not notice.

It is reminder to pay attention and find God in all things … to slow down and notice the pink lady’s slippers in our daily lives.

The range of what we see and do
Is limited by what we fail to notice.
And because we fail to notice
That we fail to notice,
There is little we can do
To change
Until we notice
How failing to notice
Shapes our thoughts and deeds.

      — R.D. Laing

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