I have been looking at the Japanese maple in my front yard the past couple of days. I finally snapped this photo this afternoon after I got home from work. I'm sure the photo does not do the leaves justice. The leaves are a vibrant red, redder than they have been all fall. If I zoomed out from this particular shot, you would see that the state of the tree, which is almost completely empty of leaves, makes the ones that are still clinging to the branches stand out even more.
In the last hour or so, I have been thinking how this picture, these few branches of leaves, are a metaphor for a few things:
Life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. When this tree was full, I passed by it every day, never giving it a second look. Now that we are at the end of November, most of the tree is bare, surrounded by most of its finery on the ground, And yet this remnant, this far spot of the tree, captured my attention more than the entire tree itself. I didn't need all the leaves to appreciate the beauty this tree produced.
Life is often like that. I am very guilty of not appreciating things because, in my mind, they aren't perfect, whether that's a person, a thing, a situation. We get so bogged down by the enormity of our situations that we fail to see the fine details that bring that pop of color, that note of happiness, that slow smile that spreads across our face. The beauty, the wonder, is there if we just give it a chance, if we just give ourselves a chance.
Live in the moment. We are surrounded by beauty every day, no matter where you live. We are all guilty of rushing around, getting to what we think is important and sometimes what we need to do is just stop for a moment and gaze at something right in front of us. That's what I did when I saw these leaves. They are so red they just stopped me, just like the color red is supposed to do! I couldn't remember when they had turned from a dull maroon to a vibrant firecracker red. It probably happened in the past couple of days for all I know. And in a couple of days, they could be all gone (and they probably will, with the cold snap that's supposed to move into our area this weekend).
And that's the point. Life can change in an instant, for better or for worse. Or...just change, period. If you don't stop occasionally to appreciate what's around you, you might miss it. How many moments have we let slip by because we had to rush to an appointment, or clean the house, or look at our phone? Just stop once in a while and look around and see what you are missing.
Sometimes simple pleasures suffice. Often in life, it's the simple pleasures that bring us the most joy. A single flower. A beautiful sunrise. A gentle touch. Happiness, joy, wonder, need not come in an elaborate package. It's these simple moments that I really appreciate-they take me out of the hustle and bustle of my life and give me that moment of zen, that touch of grace. And then I go back to the grind, but mindful, grateful for that brief respite of beauty. If I stopped more often, I would probably find these little treasures more often.
Pema Chodron, an esteemed author and Buddhist nun, suggests that people bring "gaps" into their daily routine. Gaps are pauses, three small breaths, where you stop wherever you are, whatever you are doing, and just be, putting your full attention into the immediacy of your experience, of your existence. Imagine what little miracles we would experience, what beauty we could encounter, if we all could just incorporate a few gaps in our busy lives.
