Pink Ribbons

I'm not a morning person, haven't ever been actually. I like to wake up s l o w l y, and by slowly I mean savoring a cup (or two or three) of hazelnut coffee while remaining cocooned in the warmth and comfort of my bed. A couple of weeks ago, however, I had a revelation that made me want to change all that... well, most of it anyway.

This particular morning I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom, pin-balling off the closet wall as I went, which is my usual custom. Not to worry. My senses are also pretty lethargic in the wee hours of day, so it didn't hurt a bit. As I rounded the corner, I found the bathroom awash in a warm salmon glow. I rubbed my eyes, and made my way to the window to take a peek. There in the bluing morning were the most gorgeous pink ribbons trailing across the sky.

The sheer beauty of it roused me from my previous state. I flew around the corner and back into the bedroom calling to Tom, "You've gotta come see this! There are pink ribbons in the sky! Come quick or you'll miss it!!" I'd like to tell you that his enthusiasm matched mine, but we are different people, you know. For my sweet hubby it was probably just another one of my, "Hey, you gotta see this...," moments. In his defense, he's seen a LOT of them.

Maybe I DO get a little carried away at times, but for me those pink ribbons were a game changer. They spoke to me as clearly as a voice on the other end of the line. A message was left in the sky that morning. It was written especially for me, penned by the hand of someone I love dearly.

What did it say?

You might be expecting something along the lines of, "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it." That's a good one for sure, but God doesn't always speak to me in such formal language. I'm His kid, after all, so He also talks to me just like any dad would.

"I have a present for you, Kiddo. I hope you enjoy it, and by the way... this is one of a kind, so make the most of it. I love you."

Yeah, that's what the message said, and it was... well... clear as day. At least it was to me. Sometimes I need a reminder. God knows that, and hey, let's face it. He knows me better than anyone, including myself. Those pink strands were velvet ribbons wrapped around a beautiful gift... the gift of a new day. Cliche, you say? You've heard this all before. Ya, ya, I know. I have too.

"Every day is a gift; that's why it's called the present."

Yes, perhaps it is a bit cliche in terminology... but not in meaning. The meaning retains its novelty no matter how overused the sentiment. You know why? Because only God can create a new day, and only God can grant ME another day to see it.

It's easy to make light of the gift because it's easy to become overwhelmed by life, by the everyday-ness of it. I certainly have been. There are bills to pay, overtime to put in, automobiles to be serviced, grocery shopping to do, laundry to be washed, lawns to mow, meals to prepare, floors to be mopped, programs to attend, appointments to make, homework to be finished, e-mails to answer... etc., etc, etc. That's just the small stuff. The day-to-day grind.

There's big stuff too that can hinder our appreciation for these gifts of time and beauty. We plan months, sometimes years, in advance for "special" events. That wedding. The move. His graduation. Their 50th Anniversary. Her retirement. This Once-in-a-Lifetime trip! All good and worthy things to celebrate, but how many thousands of "special" little moments get passed over unawares on our way to the "important" stuff... or even the necessary stuff?

Whether in pursuit of the bigger, better, or simply lost in the crazy shuffle of our normal routine, we can easily miss the wonder before us. It's not really our fault. We're busy... so busy. There's hardly time to breathe, much less time to stop and take in the view, but we should. We need to. We were MADE to.

I think God has hardwired us to appreciate beauty, and not just in the majestic, but also in the minute. We don't have to trek to the mountains to admire the grandeur of His creation. As fabulous as those snow-covered peaks are, they are no more lovely than the field by my house that breaks into a profusion of blue and orange wildflowers every spring. As inspiring as listening to Mahler's 5th Symphony or Barber's Adagio for Strings in a grand concert hall is the sound of the birds lifting their voices in song at each sunrise.

Magnificent moments are the punctuation points in life, that's true, but it's the everyday artistry that makes up the content... the words. The words are where we find meaning.

The exquisiteness of frost on the grass, the intricacy of a spider's web, the delicate weave of a wren's nest... all beauty. All, put here for us to enjoy. That's the allure of nature, but there are many other lovely things in which to revel.

Our relationships with others offer beauty as well. I can't tell you how much I delight in hearing from my grown kids. Getting a phone call or a visit from them... pure joy, especially when I know their lives are hectic. For them to take intentional time out for me makes me feel both happy and valued. Spending time with the grandbabies; a sweet note in the mail from a friend; an unexpected hug; a hand placed in mine; a wave from a neighbor; flowers for no reason; a note on a lunch napkin... these too are "special" little moments. Our lives are full of them, and taking the time to notice and enjoy them doesn't detract from our days, it only adds.

As long as we're speaking in cliches, here's another one for you. "Life is what we make it." Every new day God gifts us comes with the same twenty-four hours and the same two choices. We can either choose to set that gift of beauty on the shelf, vowing we'll get to it later, or we can rip into it with abandon, right now. For many years I've been guilty of the former, but I don't want to be like that anymore. I want to dive into each day with the same enthusiasm as a kid on Christmas morning. I want to acknowledge and prize the loveliness of the content, and I don't want to waste a minute getting to it.

So how about it? A new day has broken... and pink ribbons are calling. Care to join me?