On Noticing

It might NOT be on the way between Point A and Point B

I recently spent time with some “Are we there yet?” people. Not children, though I’ve experienced plenty of fretting about the seeming endlessness of some journeys as a small person and with them. Even a short trip can bore on if we’re just looking out of the window waiting for something else.

As adults in the driver’s seat or leading the hike, we don’t experience as much of that lack of control. Theoretically, we have the agency to make our journeys our own, so there’s less need to focus on arriving at Point B, right? Things take the time they’re going to take; we may as well enjoy ourselves in the process.

But it struck me hard how little my recent walking companions cared about or even saw what we passed by. I wanted to open my mouth and point out beauty - built and styled, as well as natural - people, color, humor. After all, to my thinking, the journey was part of the plan for our day together. We had the time and the luxury to look and listen. We had the vocabulary to observe and discuss, But I gave it up when my offerings only bounced sideways off my friends’ focus on the endpoint. To them, it just didn’t matter until we got to our destination. Then, they were satisfied.

Now I’m sure we all have been those people at one time or another. Certainly we have the choice whether to focus inward or outward; to take note of the path or ignore the process. Does it matter?

Mindfulness researchers and mental health advocates certainly support our slowing down, taking time to lean into present moments to hold the anxiety of future thinking - deadlines, expectations, to-do lists - at bay. Healthy people need to pay attention. So do creative ones. There’s much to see and life can only be lived a moment at a time.

And the opportunity to notice the worlds we walk through - well, it’s actually precious. So, whether on vacation or in the midst of a busy day, I want to pay attention to appreciate all that I observe in my surroundings. I want to walk through life intentionally, taking care to Notice what’s on the path in front of me, wonder where the offshoots might lead, make considered choices about the journey, not only the pre-planned endpoint.

I want to be alert for the magic of serendipity.

Not Noticing means my people arrived at Point B having missed loads of Magic. Not seeing or interacting with the universe along their way effectively shelved all the potential of our surroundings, though it didn’t speed our progress one whit. And having Noticed how easy it is to Not Notice, I don’t want to make that mistake.

I’ve had two friends succumb to cancer in the past year. Life dropped a different sort of unexpected on them, but the wisdom they gained slow-walking into their final days affirms the power of Noticing. Terminal diagnoses gave them the gift of daily presence. They saw and experienced life more clearly. Though they had not meant to travel the roads on which they found themselves, with no desire to hustle toward Point B, they found a sort of magic all the same.

So, the more I’m faced with the boundaries of life - there are only so many trips we’ll manage to take, only so many perfect fall days; we only get a limited amount of the sights and tastes and people around us - the more I’ll prioritize Noticing.

There’s delight just off the path. Creative fuel. And who knows what else?!

Whatever’s there, let’s take Notice.

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