“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched–they must be felt with the heart.”
Helen Keller
“Close your eyes.”
“And do what?” Lily asked. “Think good thoughts?”
“No,” Grandpa shook his head. “There will be no thinking just yet. That is my one rule this morning. You are not allowed to think. Yet.”
Lily pursed her lips in a funny way, rolled her eyes to the Heavens, then shrugged and closed her eyes. Grandpa said nothing, for a long three to four minutes. Then, just when Lily was beginning to squirm he asked:
“Tell me, Lily, what do you hear?”
“With my ears?”
“Yes, dear, of course. Just use your ears,” Grandpa laughed.
Lily paused, then smiled wistfully. “I hear Mr. Johnson’s dog barking again…the chimes hanging on the back porch…the birds going just plum-crazy…the wind rustling the leaves…and, why, I can even hear the water in the pond gurgling back and forth around the lily pads!”
“That’s wonderful!” Grandpa exclaimed. “And now…without opening your eyes, what can you feel?”
“Oh my, there’s that wind again! I can feel it playing with my hair! The sun is delightfully warming my forehead, there’s a tall piece of grass tickling my left calf, and the hairs on my arms, Grandpa! They’re standing near straight up, because I forgot my sweater and I’ve become a bit chilled!”
“Let’s continue,” he nodded, pleased. “Smell, Lily…what do you smell?”
“The fresh-cut grass from yesterday, the mulch mother put down around the flowers to help them grow…and the fresh blossoms blooming on the crab apple trees in the orchard.”
“And last,” Grandpa encouraged, “what do you taste?”
“Well, I’m sorry, Grandfather, but there’s nothing in my mouth.”
“No, dear, in your environment. If you could open your mouth and taste something, what would it be?”
Lily stood still, Lily stood silent. Then, very slowly, she opened her mouth, allowing the fresh morning air the honored right to visit her taste buds. “I thought you were crazy there for a moment, Grandpa,” she admitted, “but you’re right. I do taste something!”
“Tell me.”
“I can taste the rain from last night…the dew from this morning…the sun growing bright.”
Grandpa walked closer, took Lily’s hands and placed them on her heart. “And now, my darling…it’s time. What do you think?”
A soft relaxed smile curved Lily’s lips. For a moment, the old man recognized his own daughter in his granddaughter’s face. His eyes growing moist, he let a teardrop fall with Lily’s words…
“I think it’s nice, Grandpa. Yes…this is nice.”
♥…♥…♥
How beautiful and so true!
LOVE! Xoxo
Yes, I had sort of a rough week of “not living in the moment” and so wrote this a reminder to—hey! Stay here!! 😊
This is absolutely beautiful. Thank you !
My pleasure…may you have a beautiful day!
Thanks, you too 😊
Wow! What a beautiful reminder of how we let the little things slip by. We get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life we forget to stop and smell, taste and feel all the wonderful blessings!
So true. I remember when I was young and could just lay on my back and stare at the clouds for hours…THAT was happiness!
I remember those days. I’ve tried doing that with my son but he can’t be still long enough…lol
What a beautiful way to start the day, i feel and see so much more about today after reading this
Awesome! Especially pay attention to the wind…I always like to think that it has secrets to tell us 😊
What a beautiful way to remind us to stay in the present moment!😄
Yes! I agree!!
.. as I have read your blog (.. not old blog but lately …then sometimes back to read ). You sounds feeling better (.. I have to say — not all the time good / great suppose but at least you felt wonderful moment ). Sometimes being back to check your blog when I need to be calm down 🙂
Thank you for continuing to stop by. Yes, my blog is sometimes very draining for me to write…I continue to write about loss as I feel it helps others to understand what the loss of a child is like, but I am trying to move more into happiness and motivational posts about how beautiful life can be, regardless of the pain we’ve all been through. I know I feel better when I read (and write) about the “joy of life.” 😊
Glad – hope you better days / cheers.
So true!💝 We have to feel and cherish every moment in life. Love the quote!