As my boys and I partake in the offerings of nature, we cannot help but gather treasures we stumble upon. The outdoors, it is a beautiful classroom in which to cultivate the skill of careful observation and the habit of attention. It is easy and common to go about one’s day with such a focus, that the beauty around is missed. A walk in nature provides many and varied opportunities to not only delight in the beauty of creation, but to organically “teach” these beneficial concepts. Though such treasures are gathered, not all are kept. Some are beautiful. Meaningful even. While others are riddled with pesky insects still crawling within. Sometimes, we are able to see that we should not take these treasures. But there have been times where those lil bugs are hiding, and we don’t know until we have gotten our gathered goods home, they have sat a few days within our nature collection, and then slowly they make their way out- showing us our treasure was not so much a treasure!
Now let us consider our hearts and the inter webs. As we partake, clicking from site to site, we too cannot help but to gather “treasures” we stumble upon. The online world surely has our observation and attention these days. So to, it is easy and common to focus on what we are seeing, floating around social media. It is easy and common to desire that which we see, while missing the beauty that has been afforded to us. Time online can surely be an encouragement. Treasures of truth and wisdom can be gathered. But sometimes, we can stumble upon thoughts riddled with pesky insects crawling within. We can take those thoughts into our hearts, and we may not realize that which we have taken, is not a treasure after all, but in fact, it was riddled with pesky bugs.
Let us learn from our littles. From our walks in nature. From our “treasures” gathered. That we might learn to discern that which we take. That we can easily identify when what was taken, was not actually a “treasure” after all. Let us read through filtered lenses, not easily and quickly taking others’ words and opinions into our hearts, but with careful observation and attention, deeply considering and weighing them. Let us be gatherers of beautiful and meaningful.
xo,
Jennifer
JENNIFER NARAKI 