I have a friend, Koji, in Japan. We’ve never met. I originally contacted him about some business which didn’t work out. Somehow we have stayed in touch and I know we share a kindred spirit.
I have been to Japan several times, always on business. When I do these trips I always take time to see the countryside and get to know the people and culture. I, like many I believe, don’t always see what is in front of me – the proverbial “missing the forest for the trees”.
Recently Koji sent me an email about spring in Japan and the cherry blossoms once again coming to life. In the few words he used to describe it, I could see them and smell them and hear the sound of the wind rustling through the branches. It was beautiful.
My friend is in Paris now. She is exploring and photographing the sights and sounds of that wonderful city. I recently received an email from her too one morning.
She spoke about looking out the window in the early morning and seeing “the shadow of the flowering balcony painting its pattern along the hem of the bedding”. This while “listening with her Buddhist ears to the church bells down the street mixing with those of Sacre Coeur off in the distance”. I think she is seeing the most beautiful sights of Paris and these are not listed in any tourist guide.
This past week has been very stressful. From the demands of a young company to those of a 17 year old daughter, life was taking its toll on me. I hadn’t been in the water nor had I even taken time to look at the sea this past week even though I live within blocks of the beach.
On Tuesday I had a 9am appointment in an area of town I was not too familiar with so I went early. I knew if I was too early I could go by a marina that was close by and have a look at the boats. I got there much easier than I thought and therefore much early than needed so I went out to the marina. I parked and started walking along the waterfront.
It was still early and there wasn’t much movement yet. As I slowly walked around I began to take deeper and slower breaths. It was peaceful. I began to hear clearly the clanging of the halyards against the aluminum masts. I could hear sound from several different kinds of birds including the longer shrill of the gulls. As I walked past blossoming flowers, I could even hear the hum of the bees wings light from one flower to the next.
It was very peaceful. My walk lasted only about 25 minutes but in those 25 minutes the stress of the week vanished. I left with a contented smile on my face and a new attitude to go back to work with.
Things are hectic, the traffic is bad, work is stressful and kids can be too, but everywhere there is a special little place where one can take a slow deep breath and really see what is front of them. The sun’s sparkle on the water, the bead of dew on a flower petal, the sound of a birds call, these are the things to pay a little attention to each day. If we simply open our eyes and really look – even for just a few minutes - our days will be less stressful and more peaceful and collectively this too will have global implications.
