-Henry David Thoreau
As we were walking to the bus stop the other day, Isaiah ran up to me with his eyes full of excitement and his hands gently cupped as though he was carrying a very precious gift.
At first I cringed, thinking that he was going to stick a worm in my face. It wouldn't be the first time. But then he reassured me that it wasn't a worm and he promised that I really would like the treasure that he was holding.
Pinky promise, Mom.
When he opened his hands I saw that his treasure was a leaf that had been covered in a thin layer of frost, and just below that layer was the autumn colors of the leaf reflecting off the frost. Within a few minutes, the warmth of Isaiahs hands slowly turned the frost to tiny beads of water and the bright green, deep purple and hot pink colors of the leaf became even more vibrant as they glimmered in the sunlight.
For a moment, everything stopped. There was no concern over being the first in line at the bus stop or even making it to the bus on time. We were unaware of cars driving by and we didn't hear the conversations of the people around us.
For a moment, it was just Isaiah, Caleb and I, stopped in our tracks, staring at this leaf and marveling at the beauty of God's creation.
It was a gift. A beautiful gift, but one that makes me wonder: how many times have I missed out on experiencing life because I am in a hurry to get to my next destination?
I think it's time to take a breath and be still.
I want to live my life with less hurry. I want to be mindful of where my time and energy is spent and I want my children to grow up knowing that contrary to popular belief, they will never be fulfilled if they base their self-worth on having a lot of money, a busy schedule or a big house.
Instead, I want them to live their lives with a sense of purpose; To see the beauty in life and know the power of the God they serve.
That's real fulfillment.
And I have a feeling that Isaiah is on the right track...
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