I am counting down to my last scribble by reflecting on how this 100 Day Project has changed my life.
My children love collecting rocks. They can spend hours admiring and inspecting rock after rock. They would ask me to put them in my pockets and in my bag. When we would get home, I would spread all the rocks out on the table and each of them would know which was their rock. If you take the time to look at each rock with a little more scrutiny, you will notice the unique qualities of each one. You will never come across the exact same rock again, although from afar it would seem that way.
These scribbles, particularly my Book of Hours from Day 31 until now, have changed the way I see the world. I started to see my days, hours, and minutes differently. They used to be this amalgam of rocks that all looked the same. But after starting this project, I began to see the value in everything as a way to inspire my scribbles. And not only did I become attuned to value and quality of experiences, I found the joy in them too. Ordinary trips to the grocery store became opportunities to see things differently, with new eyes.
I found the above quote in one of my favourite books by Keri Smith, How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum
EVERYTHING IS INTERESTING.
As I view life this way, my family begins to find everything interesting too. I find myself wondering aloud or asking questions to which I don’t need any answers. I am more relaxed about my upcoming homeschooling year because of my fascination with the mystery of life in all its ordinary and extraordinary miracles.
I find myself unpacking a quote from my metaphorical suitcase because I have use of it in my Book of Hours. As I see things and situations differently, I am more present in my life. I am an active participant not taking anything for granted anymore.
When we took the kids to see a sunrise at the beach, they spent the time looking for rocks. I had to collect them all to sit down and see the sunrise. I couldn’t understand their fascination with the rocks because there was this beautiful ball of light on the rise in front of us. Now I understand. There is one sun in front of them. They haven’t been to dozens of sunrises with different colours and cloud arrangements to appreciate the unique experience of that morning. But they did appreciate the distinctiveness of each rock. It was like they were searching for something special.
When I go to see the sunrise lately, I pay attention to the rocks. I walk barefoot on them. As the sun rises, I watch them change colour. Some catch my eye and I pick them up one by one. Just by observing the differences, I can appreciate their individual beauty, just like each experience, conversation, and encounter I may have during any regular day because you never know when you will have that special connection where miracles happen.
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100 scribbles…hurriedly writing the here and now.
#100scribbles
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