Don’t Forget to Look Up!

I was walking to the station today from work, and I looked up and saw a big cherry tree with blossoms! I was surprised, because I hadn’t noticed any cherry blossoms yet, and usually, I see buds well in advance. Sure enough, several trees were in bloom! Why hadn’t I noticed before? Was I blind?

On the way home I paid close attention to the trees. Some of them are still not in bloom. Then, it hit me: the reason I hadn’t noticed before was that the trees that I usually see are still just beginning to bud.

Still, I haven’t been paying close enough attention to the changes around me. It is very easy to become complacent and immersed in the concerns of daily life. It’s always interesting to see your world through other people’s eyes. The sights and sounds of Japan, for the most part, have become relatively commonplace to me. But people back home often ask me questions about the most mundane things, like what cars and buildings look like here. And Japanese people are often curious about life in other countries, too. It’s only natural.

Every day is an adventure, and every step we take is a new journey. We only have once chance. It is easy to feel excited when we take the first steps, and every experience is new and full of promise. And when we know our journey is coming to a close, we feel nostalgic and we want to cling to every second. But it is the middle part of the journey–the part we usually want to rush though to get it over with–where our lives are truly lived.

We all need excitement and adventure in our lives. And some experiences are so full of beauty and magic, that they remain forever in our hearts and minds. But for most of us, our lives are made up of much simpler events: going to work, sharing a meal with a loved one, or just buying groceries. Quite often, it’s the little things we say and do that matter most. If we could approach every daily, “mundane” task with the same enthusiasm, gratitude, and attention that we approached “special” events, how rich and fulfillng would our lives be?