Watching the World

Do you ever wonder what all we're not seeing just because we're not looking closely? So many little things that if we just stopped and took the time to really look at what we're seeing. It's not even necessarily hidden usually, we're just too busy to stop and take note of it. One glance is all we give most things. Like this photograph. You probably just looked, registered it as trees and water and moved on. Look again, there's a bit more to it. Nothing much or spectacular, but it's there, just not glaringly obvious at first glance.

It's things like that that make me wonder some days just how many of these little things we miss. This morning I stopped and took a few minutes to watch a spider laying out its web. It's not important, but interesting to watch for a bit. Ok, it helps that I took some sleep aid medicine last night and I'm still a bit fuzzy from it, but I'd find it interesting even without this. However, I might not have taken the time to stop and notice it otherwise. I was simply standing there, trying to figure out what to do once my plans changed, and noticed a small sun spider moving around. A small bit of activity that I wouldn't have normally been at all aware of.

Last night, I got the opportunity to watch a few people interacting as a group (I was part of the group, not some creepy guy staring at strangers). That can illustrate so much more than one-on-one interaction, giving depth to what you can learn otherwise. But, once again, it's something you have to stop and actually observe.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should all take some time every now and then, and just really look at things. Think about them. Actually take stock of and attune ourselves with the world around us. The observations might not be mind blowing or of lasting importance, but learning to do so could. Besides, you never know where inspiration might come from.