Sometimes in our need for perfection, our need to always follow societal rules, our need to do things ‘the right way’, our need to be careful, our need to have structure in our lives and to always know exactly what is going on...or in our stubbornness in seeing things according to how we’ve been told we should see them, we tend to miss out on some very awesome things.
I’ve been thinking about this and here are some of the things that I think we miss out on for one or more of the reasons stated above:
â We miss out on the sheer beauty of rain when we hastily make sure that we don’t get wet. –
Yes I know that we’ve always been told that walking in the rain will make you sick, but this is not always true. When we stop and stand still, with sweet rain surrounding us, then we are able to appreciate the true miracle of rain.
â We miss out on the beauty of shattered glass when we concern ourselves with the thing/s that have just broken-
Have you ever noticed how beautiful shattered glass is? Each tiny little piece giving off its own shine, like a thousand little jewels. Of course we have to sweep it up otherwise someone is bound to get cut. But just before sweeping it up, if you take the time to observe it instead of becoming upset over the thing that has broken, you will see real beauty in those shattered pieces.
â We miss out on the beauty of Winter because all we want to do is stay indoors in a warm place.
I’ve always wondered why people are so afraid of the cold. Once again we are told that you can get sick if you are out in the cold, but if you are dressed warmly enough then this isn’t that likely. I’ve been out in the cold many times and haven’t gotten sick because of it. I often notice that in Winter, those outdoor places which are so full of people in Summer, is empty as everyone is indoors. Maybe the outdoor quietness in winter makes it easier to appreciate how truly beautiful a winter’s day can be.
â We miss out on the sweet smiles of innocent children because we are too busy shouting at them all the time.
People seem to constantly be shouting at children. There are all these rules which need to be followed , then there’s school and homework, and there’s very little time for children to play. But when you take the time to watch them playing, you will observe their beautiful smiles and colourful laughter and you will remember the beauty that comes with innocence like that. Parents shouldn’t only appreciate their children when they are asleep.
â We miss out on the beauty of a moth because we’ve been told that butterflies are more beautiful.
Most people regard moths as bothersome creatures, yet when they see butterflies they are delighted. I find this quite strange, considering how similar moths and butterflies really are. So moths may not have strikingly colourful wings, but have you ever noticed their wings. The artistry is amazing, SubhanAllah, and each moth has a different design on its wings. If you observe a moth you will know what I’m talking about.
(This one reminds me of what people are like also, we focus so much on popular ideas of beauty that we miss out on recognising true beauty in people).
â We miss out on the early morning beauty when we sleep late
This one is self explanatory. Those who are usually awake before sunrise will know what I’m talking about. The beautiful skies just after the sun comes out can not be seen at any other time during the day, and not to mention the true peace which can only be found very early in the morning.
â We miss out on our connection with our Creator when we are too busy with the creation
We’ve become so busy with everyday life that we are too tired to even think and ponder about the One who created us. Noise fills our lives in so many different forms and our minds are so full of the thousand different things we have to do that it’s hard to actually build a true connection with our Creator.
â We miss out on the wisdom of the elderly when we cast them aside
One of our biggest downfalls in today’s times is that we do not make enough time for the elderly. A lot of the time older people are cast aside, put in nursing homes or not paid much attention to. This is to our own detriment. I mean can you imagine living for like 60 or 70 years, even 80 years in some cases. There’s no way you can live that long without learning anything valuable. When we spend time with old people we learn from their lessons as well as their examples.
I’m sure that if we all take the time we will find many other things that we miss out on, and in fact I urge anyone to write about what they think we miss out on as well.
I have learnt that true beauty and wisdom exists in the places and things we never expect to find them. Keep your eyes open and look beyond things and you will find it.
