Weeds of Opportunity | Finding Meaning in Every Experience

Finding meaning and gifts in all of life’s experiences

OK, let’s get real. When your feet first hit the floor each morning, do you feel Ugh, daily grind or Aaah, limitless possibility? Maybe you land somewhere in the middle, but want to scooch your way over to a more optimistic setting. I call that the ‘Weeds of Opportunity’ — high octane vibrancy, finding gifts and meaning in all of life’s experiences. I know it sounds like a line you would read in a greeting card, however, I believe that when we start witnessing the magical moments in between the big events of life, it all becomes magical.My Mom still lives in the house I grew up in. With each visit, a part of my long-ago self pops up as if to say, Hey, remember me? It’s a continuous stroll down memory lane. No matter what has been redecorated, reorganized or redone — there’s always something to stumble upon that releases the memory floodgates. Visiting my mom recently, I glanced up in the trees and was stunned to see that this little birdhouse of yesteryear was still alive and kicking (for the most part). It was one of many that we kids built with my Father over 35 years ago. Surely Dad made some repairs throughout the years, but Mom says that dilapidated little ramshackle birdhouse still provided shelter this spring to yet another Momma and her hatchlings.At one time in our house, there actually was some serious ornithology going down that involved binoculars, researching, documenting, and markers and crayons for drawing pictures of all the birds in our backyard. That was my favorite part – that and being a bit of a know-it-all with the ability to call out the name and some relevant factoid pertaining to each bird.That little house, barely holding on, reminds me of my Dad and some of the simple moments we shared shortly before his death. He had grown too weak to work in the yard or tend to his vegetable garden, but I loved sitting with him and talking. It was something we shared. Sometimes I would get antsy sitting inside the house on a beautiful day, so I’d nudge him to come outside. We’d grab a chair, some gardening gloves for me, and he would sit beside me for hours as I tended to the weeds in the garden — chatting, weeding, repeat.When I glance up at that birdhouse I see life: the life of raising 3 children and finding creative ways to engage them, the birth of new life and the passage of life.That little house has showered us with the sweetest of memories. I know its days are numbered and I will be sad to see it go, but it did make me take pause many times to seize the weeds of opportunity — to slow down, smell the flowers, weed the garden, have the conversations, just be with the people I love…to stop rushing around, missing the whole point. Life’s preciousness doesn’t necessarily come in grand, sweeping gestures, but rather in the grace sprinkled about.In fact, one afternoon while sitting below that very house, I witnessed 3 little sparrows take their first flight. Baby number #1 was the first to take off (clearly the leader of the pack) — continuing on by circling around, chirping and coaxing #2 and #3 who were hesitantly popping their uncertain little heads out. The script of what they were saying to one another through their chirps was literally playing out in my head. Come on, scaredy cat, you can do this. You’ve got it. Let’s go. Eventually, they all 3 flew the coop — just as us 3 kids had done. It was truly a slice of divinity and connection to experience.Throughout all the years, I always knew there were occupants. I had caught a Momma feeding her babies, but I had never seen this, simply because I hadn’t taken the time to sit in the stillness of the moment. Year after year, I busied about, missing the opportunity. These are the little game-changers, there for the seizing, there for life’s delight. Are you missing them?What if we simply practiced being here — being present wherever we find ourselves? What are you busy-ing by?Where could you pause and take in what is already right in front of you?Life is a tapestry of magical moments. You need only to open your eyes and see them.