I learned a secret that most women have known all their lives. It is the trait known as “looking sideways.” In plain English, you can hear your mother shouting: “Pay attention.” But my lesson was about learning how to look at things from a different perspective.
At yesterday Peddler’s Fair, I was signing calendars for a parishioner when from the side there were three little children about age four jumping up and down pointing fingers at some of the animal’s photos. What caught my eye was the sheer wonder and joy as their enthusiasm went from the horses grooming one another, to the owl, then to the eagle. They were hopping around the photos, jumping for joy as if they had never seen such wonders in their life for the first time. There was sheer joy in their hearts and it knocked my socks off to think that these “little ones” were entertained by the images that were taken many years ago. But you see my friends, you have to pay attention to your surroundings.
How often do we sit and groan about life and look forward instead of sideways to take notice of the interesting things going on in our lives. Of course, women have known this truth all their lives that in order to make sure something is clean you have to look sideways to make sure all the drips have been collected.
Are there any drips in your life that need wiping up? Are you stuck at this stage in your life doing the same things over again without any joy? I appreciated the support of my parishioners encouraging me to share my photos at this public show. To my surprise, I have been invited to bring the gallery to two other shows in Hilton and Brockport in November and December. Who would have thought that these images would be welcomed into people’s homes? But the best part of the show was looking sideways and watching those children laughing and enjoying themselves.
God knows when the drips in our lives (problems) cast a shadow of doubt and make us down in the dumps. We need to learn to look sideways and take notice of the many ways God's spirit of love makes itself present in our life. For me, children laughing and dancing around the animals were the delight of my day.
Jesus watches over us as we reflect: “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who love him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.” (Psalm 33:18).
Lord, I promise to pray for all my Sonshine Friends whose eyes need to look sideways for all the ways you come to our side to bring comfort and hope. Help us all to pay attention to your goodness in our daily lives and look sideways.
