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Notice
Recently where I’ve been living there has been quite a bit of rain. During the day it isn’t the most fun, but at night I absolutely love it. There is something about rain on a roof that puts me right to sleep. I love hearing the water hit the house and the wind push up against the windows. I think being able to hear nature’s forces in such tangible ways is just really cool. But I recently noticed that this is something I’ve been really taking for granted.
As a college student I have lived in dorm-style housing for about 2 years and plan to move into an apartment when COVID settles down and I move back to Dallas. The thing about dorms though, is you can’t hear the elements. The closest thing you’ll ever get to hearing rain on the roof while in an apartment is your upstairs neighbor’s dog chasing a ball - and those two things don’t really compare in my opinion. And often due to the construction and design of these buildings, you won’t hear anything through your windows either.
Since being at home due to COVID I’ve been able to enjoy storms. Instead of being angry because it is raining on campus and I have to walk to class, I can sit at home now and just listen. Although this isn’t something I miss terribly while in Dallas, I do appreciate it when I am home.
But rain on a roof is just one example of a happy thing that can often go unnoticed. Due to COVID my summer plans really got turned around - I was originally supposed to study abroad in Bali but now I am taking an online painting class (long story). As a part of my class the professor has tasked us with just trying to notice things about the world around us. How colors interact, where the shadows are, and just how things look in general. The idea is to get us thinking more about how we see things so that we can paint our perceptions better, but it has proven to be an interesting exercise. The more I look around, the more I notice things that I have never consciously thought of before.
So that is my challenge to you this week: look around and notice things. I realize this is incredibly vague, but that is kinda the point. I think there are so many small things in life that we never really notice or think about. But it is incredible the things you will notice once you start looking. And the more small things you notice that bring you joy, the more I have found that I am excited about life. For you it might not be rain on the roof, it might be how a soft carpet feels on your feet, or how the sun lights up your house during the day - it can be any number of things, but when consciously thought about, they bring joy and excitement to life.
Stay Motivated,
-Dan
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