“If only we could pull out our brain and use only our eyes.”

Pablo Picasso

For the curious, it’s always rewarding to look for seashells at the beach.  We especially like to search for them at Tecolote, a beach north of La Paz, Baja California Sur. During the winter, however, it can be hard to find these tiny gems of beauty. Perhaps it is the wave action that does not deliver these treasures.   But with perseverance, you can look more carefully and focus to discover the hidden, tiny pieces of coral and spiral shells that are buried in the rubble of the sea debris. 

 It’s a miniature and delicate world of tiny clam and limpet shells, brightened by shards of red coral. Sifting through the sand carefully one can capture the wonder of these shells.

And it makes one think of all the times we do not notice the simple little things because we aren’t looking… we aren’t aware.

Perhaps, some of us notice the little things more intuitively.  A simple pattern, the ebb and flow of tiny things in nature that can be small miracles.  Moss growing on a tree, the feather patterns of the flicker that visits our feeders, the crystals shining in the buried rock on the trail.

Little things make us pause, reflect, and wonder at the beauty and wonder of life.

It’s time to open our eyes and notice the subtlety of things that work in concert to create harmony in our world. Let’s perfect the art of observation.

These 3 guidelines may help us:

1. Take the time to find patterns. Observe the trees, but also the forest — looking for the synergy and collective rhythm of things to find the big picture.

2. Notice the details that together create the whole.  Each part contributes.  Honor the role even tiny components play in our lives. Perhaps alone they are only data points, but remember that the sum is greater than the individual parts.

3. Notice the little things about people around us.  Eyes that sparkle when they are doing passionate work or activity, but become dull when stressed or burned out.  Subtle changes in behavior we need to notice if we care.  Empathy makes a difference.

The key is to open our eyes and our senses to see the intricate weaving in the background waiting to be discovered and treasured...just like shells on the beach of La Paz.