I was walking past my patio door the other day when a pop of color outside caught my eye.  I stopped to look closer at the source of the color and realized it was a flower blossom that had blown onto the concrete floor of my patio.  It was a mystery where the flower came from because there are no flowers anywhere near me, but somehow the wind had brought to me an unexpected gift.

I went outside onto my patio to see better.  The vibrant color of the blossom was a stark contrast to the rest of the patio. There was a small table and a chair out there but nothing of any color, and the floor of the patio had not been swept for a while and was covered with some small debris from nearby trees. 

I knelt down on the floor of the patio so I could look closer at the blossom, and when I did that I saw more than just the blossom.  I saw more clearly how the flower had become part of a beautiful visual composition.  A leaf lay near the blossom with a lovely play of light on it, a swirl of pine needles and small twigs added an interesting element of movement, and the rough texture of the concrete floor created a perfect background to tie it all together.  I saw a beautiful picture in front of me because I chose to stop, focus my attention and awareness, and look closely.

I sat there for a while in the warm morning sunshine, just breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the quiet of the morning.  After a bit I got up and went back inside to resume my morning routine, but I did so feeling refreshed and with a grateful heart for the peaceful moments I had just experienced. 

I thought about that experience a lot throughout the day.  I wondered how often in my life there had been beautiful things to see and experience right in front of me but I had missed them because I had not chosen to stop and look closely.  I have a feeling there were probably more than I can count.

carried by the wind

to an unexpected place

a gift of beauty

I hope you experience some beautiful moments today!