“If the stars came out only once in a lifetime, all of us would be out to see them and would be left speechless by the grandeur of that sight…but when they shine every night we go for months without ever looking up.”
~ R.S. Adams
I think everybody needs to find their own “Gee” spot…..their own little spot in the world that allows them to appreciate all the wonders of nature. A place that makes them say “Geeeee.”
Most of us have become indifferent to miracles. We’ve grown complacent with the roar of the ocean and the height of the oaks and the smell of the citrus trees and even the spectacular way that a completely contradictory combination of colors can somehow create the most harmonious of sunsets. We just don’t take notice. We forget to be amazed by the transformation of chrysalis to butterfly; of new growth sprouting from a plant that we long thought was dead; of the intricate, complicated design in the wings of a dragonfly. These miracles are around us every day, but most of us just walk right by. Maybe it’s because we’ve all somehow lost touch with that place within us that makes us feel awe. To regain it, we need to find a “Gee” spot.
It’s really quite easy to put the wonder back into our lives. All we have to do is pick a place in nature to sit still, slow down and wait. When we slow down long enough, and turn off all of our thoughts and just look and listen, the wonder will come. Whether it’s the discovery of a four-leaf clover at our feet, the sight of a hawk soaring above us, the delicate twittering song of birds that are so tiny they can be heard but not seen….eventually we’ll become aware of something that reminds us of what a miracle it all really is. Eventually something will touch that spot inside us that feels wonder and awe and makes us say “Geeee.”
If you live near the ocean or the woods or the mountains, it is easy to find a “Gee” spot. But the best cure for everyday complacency is to create your own – in your own backyard. How do your transform a backyard into a “Gee” spot? Just pick a spot and wait.
No, don’t get up yet. Keep sitting. Turn off your phone or at least mute it. If you have a very active life, it may take a little longer to turn off the rapid fire thoughts in your mind. Just sit quietly and look and listen, not just with your ears, but with your eyes and your heart and your soul. You can lay on your back and watch the movement of the clouds or sit in a chair and watch the wind blow through the trees.
Be still and listen.
And if you can’t find that spot right away, don’t worry. Just keep looking. It’s as much inside you as it is outside. But there’s an endless supply of miracles out there to help you find it.
“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature.” – Anne Frank
* A shortened version of this essay was published in Spirituality and Health Magazine, November/December 2008
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