The Sun is Shining. Wake UP!

The Sun is Shining — Wake up! - Honey Good®  (My article first appeared here)

“Have you ever looked up to the bright natural morning light and felt bad? You cannot because this is the light which brings happiness and starts the ‘another day’ in your precious life.” — Evelyn Snare

My nephew, his wife, and their two-year-old daughter, Mckenna, were visiting us.  When it was time for bed, we put together McKenna’s pack-and-play, and they all squeezed into the guest room for the night.

The following morning, I awoke at my usual early time and was writing in my journal when I heard a sweet little toddler’s voice coming from the guest room.

“Wake up, Da Da…wake up…” McKenna called.  “Da Da wake up, the sun is shining!”

I could hear my nephew mumbling… “It’s too early, baby…go back to sleep.”

A minute passed and then I heard her voice again. “Da Da the sun is shining…. Wake up!”

McKenna’s impatience seemed to be growing along with her mom and dad’s resistance… “Oh come on, baby… it’s too early!”

“Da Da,” she pleaded; “Wake up! The … sun …. is … SHINING …. !”

Delight in the Light of Another Day!
Don’t you love getting a glimpse of life through the eyes of a child? The lens they view the world through feels so refreshing! “Wake up … The sun is shining … wake up!” That urgency to get about the business of play and exploration.  It’s a chance for ‘another day’ adventure! Those little ones are so full of energy and ready to embrace the miracles that lie ahead. 

“Do you find yourself too often floating through life as a casual detached observer; unaware and uninspired?”  

Sadly, I fear as adults we forget to delight in the sun some mornings? We forget to pay attention to that miraculous light that starts ‘another day’ in our precious lives. I fear we often take our precious day for granted. 

I know I do. There are too many days when I move slowly and mechanically through my morning moments; ignoring the sun altogether. And I have days when my hours seem to pass by unaware, uninspired, unappreciated and under-lived. Sadly, the lens I look through is often blurry and distant.

I have a magnet on my refrigerator that says ‘Every day is a gift.’ But to be honest, many days I simply ignore the reminder. It seems my focus is just on keeping myself busy … and I don’t take the time to celebrate the gift. 

Are You Experiencing Life With All of Your Senses?

Although my nephew and family went back home, I continued to hear McKenna’s voice in my head announcing each new day.  ‘Wake up…the sun is shining!’

It was time for me to wake up and be more present in my life … and pay more attention. If I wanted to change my life; I needed to change my lens!

I believe God purposefully created us with our five senses (or more). Recently I read that we are born with more than one hundred billion neurons! And those neurons are there to bring in the world to us, through our senses! Doesn’t that sound miraculous! Those senses certainly help to keep us safe; but they also enable us to live our precious lives on earth more intentionally.  

And yet, we often take the stance that life is happening outside of us. But just think about this…our senses help us to experience the world fully inside of us!

One of my dad’s favorite sayings was, ‘some people just float through life like a flea on a dog’s back’. May I ask, “Do you find yourself too often floating through life as a casual detached observer; unaware and uninspired?”  

Have you recently eaten an entire meal and not really tasted any of it?  I know I have. Or walked through the woods and ignored the Northern flicker perched up in the pines? Have you walked right past the adorable giggles of the children playing at the park; without pausing to notice? When was the last time you really touched your skin, or someone else’s, and truly felt the softness? 

Are You (Figuratively) Eating Caterpillars?

The other day I was taking a walk with my sister (she is teaching at a preschool camp this summer).  I asked her how her week was going….she breathed in deeply and sighed. “Oh my goodness, one of our kids ate a caterpillar today.”  “A real caterpillar?” I asked.  “Yes,” she explained, “I saw little Tommy out in the play yard picking something up and looking very curiously at it. He was examining it. Then I saw him holding it close to his nose and smelling it, and the next thing you know he quickly stuck it in his mouth and swallowed it.” She said the child made kind of a funny face and his eyes seemed to spin around; but after that; he went right back to his play.

Now, I’m not suggesting we all go out and eat caterpillars; but you really have to envy that kind of curiosity, don’t you?  

Don’t we just intuitively know that if we were to take back some of our childhood wonder and look through those lens’ we would surely pay more attention to the world around us?

I want to live my life where I consider digging in the dirt to capture that worm, to collect the leaves newly fallen, and throw them high into the air. To lay on my back in the soft grass and rediscover the magic in the clouds. Let’s once again chase the butterflies in the garden and capture a ladybug. Let’s be more curious.

Who knows what mysteries we might uncover or treasures we might discover today? Can’t you just imagine all the new and wonderful opportunities that will arise when we open our eyes, our minds and our hearts? And when we choose to experience our days ‘full on’, I believe we will discover extraordinary and even magical possibilities.  

A 30-Day Experiment
By the way, what made you curious today?  What new thing did you taste, touch, see, smell, hear, and experience? Did you use all your senses to further investigate?

I have been pondering this question. How much more would my days be enhanced if I adopted a childlike wonder and curiosity?

So, I decided to create my own experiment to test my hypothesis. (Being more aware and intentionally using my senses will enhance my days and make me more appreciate of my precious life.)

I would try the experiment for at least 30 days. 

AND SO, I SET ABOUT CREATING A NEW DAILY ROUTINE 

• Before getting out of bed each morning I think of three things I am grateful for. 
• After I arise, drink my first glass of water and plug in the coffee pot, I walk out on my front porch and spread my arms wide and shout out loud …” the sun is shining…wake up!”  (So far, I haven’t heard my neighbors commenting on the crazy old woman shouting at the sun each day).
• I also tweaked my journal writing routine.  Now I write this headline on my page each day before penning my thoughts. ‘Today is going to be a great day!’
• And I have borrowed Mary Oliver’s famous quote to get me started …. “So, what is it I plan to do with my wild and precious life today?” (I find that just using that language makes me more appreciative and attentive).
• I then write about some actions I will take to support my being more present. What are my expectations and intentions for the day? 
• I also created a form for myself to remind me to stay committed and accountable for living my life to the fullest. I would love for you to download it and try it as well. Won’t you join me on my experime​​

My friends, every day is such a gift in our precious lives. As we unwrap our ‘present’, let’s choose to begin it with our eyes gazing toward the light in joyful anticipation.  Wake-up the sun is shining!

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