10 1/2 Reasons to Stop & Pause
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed."- Albert Einstein
I don't know about you, but I'm finally in the summer groove, yet Atlanta area schools are just a few weeks from being back in session. Surely summers are shorter now than they were when I was a child? I know Mr. Einstein has some theories on that. Whatever the case may be, I want to take this Monday to follow his advice above and "pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe."
After all, summer IS pretty AWEsome! Here are the few things I want to pause and notice:
1. Memories - Sunscreens prove that the strongest memories are found in your sense of smell. When I slather up, I am immediately back at Huntington Beach, CA. and looking for my brother on a surfboard. Where does YOUR sunscreen take you?2. Pretty Toes - Of life's many little indulgences, a fresh pedicure is at the top of the list. Summer shoes make the primping worth while (even if you're missing a toe)! Am I right?3. Weather - Thunderstorms are amazing, but I didn't grow up with them and I still don't like them. Still, I stand in awe! (I was caught in the "freak storm" in NY last week, but that deserves another post!) Are you one of those people who likes storms?4. Companionship - A wet dog is a beautiful thing. NO ONE in our house is having a better summer than Mack. Between the dog and the short people in the house, I could watch "playtime" all day. Awesome indeed!
5. Seasonal Changes - Forget the change in the foliage - where do all of the cars go? Summer traffic makes me forget why I dislike road trips. How can there be such a wild swing? Every year, I'm amazed.
6. Family - Spending time together is always worth fighting for, and more than occasionally I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this bunch of characters. Are you getting time with the people who matter most?
7. Friends - We come into contact with so many people, it's nice to have the summertime to be with those who fill the season with movies, lunches, pool time, silly games; they bring us back to the bigger picture of who we are. Have you been able to connect with good friends?8. S'mores. Enough said.
9. Pulp fiction - This is not the season for the Steve Jobs bio (I'll get back to that in the fall -- or not), but rather for books that can take splashes from the water and sunscreen on the pages (no iPads). I love a "good" summer read, and I never expect "great!"
10. Baseball - I've struggled changing my allegiances from the Dodgers to the Braves, but since the kids are becoming huge home town fans, I'm following their lead. However, we won't test the bonds by going to see the Braves when LA comes to town; that would be too much.
10.5 Fishing - I enjoy fishing most when someone else does the dirty work, so I'll only pause on this just long enough to say "great job" and get a picture. Someone else has to bother removing the hook.
You don't have to be the father of modern physics to realize the importance of pausing. Even Ferris Bueller was understood when he said, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss it!