Day 28

Today's Lesson:

Above all else I want to see things differently.

When I really think about today's lesson, it is very profound. As the lesson tells us, this may be a difficult commitment to make over time. But we are reminded that we are just at the beginning of this journey in mind re-training.

We may wonder why it is important to look at objects around us and say, for example, "Above all else I want to see this table differently." As the lesson goes on to say, "In itself it is not important at all. Yet what is by itself? And what does 'in itself' really mean? You see a lot of separate things about you, which really means you are not seeing at all. You either see or not. When you have seen one thing differently, you will see all things differently. The light you will see in any one of them is the same light you will see in them all."

What that really means is that I am willing to see beyond my own preconceptions about whatever it is I want to see differently. I begin not to define it in past terms, but asking it what it is instead of telling it what it is.

If I am really committed to seeing everything differently, I will begin to notice things I never noticed before.

Miracles I'm noticing:

I'm reminded right now of the song "Colors of the Wind" from the Disney movie Pocahontas. Here are the lyrics of two of the sections:

You think you own whatever land you land on
The Earth is just a dead thing you can claim
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Ever since I really listened to the lyrics of that song, I realize that I have a judgment about everything I see. Only when I commit to seeing things differently can I realize that there are many, many things I never knew I never knew. And that's where I can have the most opportunity for growth.

There are so many examples of this new seeing that I could probably just start listing everything I see. But the key here, I think, is to notice that judgment. As the lesson reminds us, we are still at the beginning of this new practice, so I think it's important not to beat ourselves up. In fact, if we are going to work on noticing judgment, we can also include ourselves in that noticing. I'm probably my own worst enemy when it comes to judging myself. I don't think people spend nearly as much time as I think they must in judging me - they're too busy judging themselves.

I'm interested to hear what you notice when you commit to seeing things differently. Is the sky bluer? Is the snow whiter? Are people friendlier? What do you see when you let others' purposes be revealed to you instead of putting your own judgment upon them?