Softer eyes. . .

Soft eyes. There is never nothing going on. Every moment something is going on. Next door a neighbor is having a jumper on the front yard. A cat sitting on the ledge. A smile on a plastic blowthingee on the jumper. Leaves on a tree. 

What do you see? Do you any special powers? I am trying to develop mine. Trying to looking at things with softer eyes. Not being critical of this, that, or the other. Just want to look with amazement at what is outside. Trying to look on what is inside. 

Took some photos of Denny’s on the 47^th street East.

Imagine the things you seen today. What if they were gone? How would you live? No more wi-fi. No more Wal-Mart. No more Super Target. What if Starbucks or It’s a Grind were gone?

Took my nieces to the movies today. They watched "Last Song" with Miley Cyrus and I saw "Clash of the Titans." Felt the room begin to shake. No one apparently noticed as I looked around. I knew that an earthquake was happening. It was my charge to watch over my nieces and I wasn't with them. Dashed out the door and headed a few theaters away. Missed the last part of the movies, but really it did not matter. the wave subsided, but I needed to be there with them. There they sat unmoved and unaware of the earthquake.

We went to another movie, "How to Train Your Dragon." Got a text that there was 6.9 earthquake. My brother was obviously concern. Texted back to let him know things were okay. The girls did not know there was even an earthquake. I let them know there was an earthquake. It shook her up. We decided to leave because she was in tears. Even though she didn't feel it. It stirred something inside of her and that was enough. 

Turned on 1070 am and heard the earthquake damage. Damaged homes in Baja. Swaying of high rises in downtown  LA. Magnitude of quake changed from 6.9 to 7.2. Heard about the three aftershocks Natural disasters, I am not so concerned. Its in the hands of a higher power and well its out of my control.

One may ask, "So what?" I mean the things we take for granted could be lost in a moment.  A shift in the ground, a errant driver, a distracted moment and the things we take for granted are gone. It does not need to be a life-altering moment for our perspective--our view of the world--to be altered. We can appreciate the beauty all around us by noticing the little things. Look at what is in front of your face. Smell the coffee  in the shop that you are in. Close your eyes and listen the nuances of the conversations all around. Taste the graininess of the bagel you bite into. Taste the butter and black pepper. Hug the little one that brings a smile for no reason. Just hug and hold.

For me, I am lucky. I've lived in the Antelope Valley for more than twenty-five years. Ihe is not the metropolitan center as LA or Boston. What if a major event struck the area where you lived. Would you be prepared? So I guess we are lucky. Imagine water challenges. Imagine troubles of no produce. Imagine no city services. Gone. 

Guess, this is why I get amazed at all the things around me. A cat on a window sill. A Cherry Blossom Tree blooming. A raindrop on the windshield.

The things we take for granted can be lost in a moment’s notice. Imagine having to walk to LA from the Antelope Valley. Imagine no internet. Imagine losing an old. friend Imagine no more electrical or water service. Imagine losing that friend a talk to. Walmart gone and you had to go to individual stores or bazaar for the medication or toiletries you need. Obviously we are not the third would country where the basic necessities are just computer click away. What I am trying to say we are more than a physical creature needing physical sustenance. We are soulful ones, too. We need the company and love of others. Does not need to agape love. We need storge, philia, eros.

So, imagine if you had a backpack and one minute to fill it up with what is important. What would you put in this backpack. Pictures, food, water, laptop? One minute to put everything of import in your backpack. No turning back. What would you put in? What would you keep?

When you imagine this, you will begin to realize what you cherish. It isn’t the big screen tv. It’s not the newest ride to impress you and your friends and families. It’s the little things. Imagine its not there. 

Thank the Big Smile, whatever that may be. Just close your eyes and say, "Thank you."

Why? Because its there. Thank for the food in front of you. The ride that you have. The home that you live in. The love of the family that is there. Say thanks for all the gifts you are given. Thank everything that is in your life and everything  and everyone it took for you get there right now. 

Well, enough said.

Thank you.