The Gift of Seeing

About noon last Sunday I realized that I had been given a gift from God! I had been using this gift for many years, but it took a few words spoken at just the right time to open my eyes and make me realize the gift I had.
While listening to a speaker I heard him say that he had many beautiful places in his life that he wished he could return to. Up to then I had not given much thought to my way of thinking. I have had many beautiful places in my life, but then my only thought of returning to them was to share them with someone else. I gave thanks for being allowed to savor that beauty and then returned it to its owner.
I taught photography in the field for many years. And, being the selfish person I am, I always tried to choose the most beautiful places at the most beautiful time of the year for my classes. Then, I would go into that area several days before that class and pick the best teaching spots. That way I could show my class the most opportune photo spots for the time they had to spend in each class. It was back then that I first realized that finding beauty was exciting, but that beauty didn’t bloom until I was sharing it with others.
I looked upon all of those beautiful places as gifts to be used and then returned to its owner. I looked upon those places as memories to be filed on film or memory cards and then returned to the world for the next person.
At that time I started to realize our cameras were teaching tools, teaching us to see. Those cameras gave us an excuse for learning. Could it be that our God has given all of us gifts, but we have to find an excuse or a tool to realize what we have been given?
Sunday, yes the same Sunday but a few hours later, my cane and I were walking across a sandy lot when a weed in my path caught my eye. Atop that weed was a vibrant yellow flower no bigger than my thumb nail. Its brilliant yellow was breathtaking! I had to stop and admire it for a moment, because I knew it was put there just for me to see. Others had walked right past it!
You may have noticed that I said my cane and I. Today I find that I have used up most of the goody left in this body, but that doesn’t stop me from finding and enjoying the beauty in my world. My today’s world is much smaller; I can no longer travel to those most beautiful places of yesterday. Today I spend several hours each day sitting on the couch and looking out our large living room window. That window I look through looks out over one of the most beautiful places in the world. I see people, cats, dogs, squirrels, birds, especially humming birds, butterflies, not to mention all of those bright white clouds floating on that dark blue sky. And, many of those clouds form images of different animals! And yes, I know all of that beauty is put there just for me to see! I never have a desire to “go back” because I have already received those blessings. I just keep looking forward to find all those blessings yet to come! Of course I can look back on all of those beautiful memories, but they are just that memories, past memories. I have never wanted to look forward to the past, especially when I can always find my future so exciting!
With my gift I realize it is no longer necessary for me to travel to those exotic places, all I have to do is look around. I guess you could call me one of the richest persons in the world with all those gifts my God has given me. Each step I take finds me knee deep in beauty. All I have to do is open my eyes to find it!