Small Miracles – Mindfulness Focus Words

I returned home from Pennsylvania to find my gardens very much alive, in spite of the blazing Denver sun. Thank you to all my wonderful friends and family who were watering.  As I wandered through the gardens, I discovered three tiny pears on my pear tree. And that is  a small miracle.

My espalier apple and miniature pear had both set fruit in the spring.  Then came the hail and they both held on to most of their fruit thanks to the hail cloth. But next came the snow and freezing cold in May. That did it for the fruit. When I carefully checked both trees, all the small fruit had shriveled and fallen off (or so it seemed).

Fast forward to the day I arrived from Pennsylvania.  As I walked through the gardens the pears jumped out at me. How had I missed them before? They are still small, but definitely thriving.

Seeing  Miracles Everywhere

So yes, I know that technically, seeing pears that I had missed before might not qualify in everyone’s eyes as a miracle. But what is a miracle?  Something that defies the odds. Something that is unexpected. Something that brings us joy. So yes, my pears are a small miracle.

As I work my way through the losses of the last few months, it is easy to not be attuned to the positive things and joy all around me.  But in truth, we are surrounded by small miracles every day.  Life on our little blue planet is a miracle.  All the beautiful moments we have with loved ones are miracles. All the people that stepped up to support me in various ways over the last few months feels like a miracle.  All the plants in my garden are small miracles, not just the pears.

Nothing is a given. We don’t know the amount of time we will be here or the time with have with others. So in many ways our lives are both unexpected and defying the odds.

To perceive something as a miracle is a shift in perception.  That’s a skill we can practice. The mindfulness focus this week is on small miracles, paying attention, noticing, experiencing the joy, and being thankful for them. 

For more information on my weekly mindfulness focus words click here.