notices

I was reading an article the other day about the American poet William Carlos Williams. Evidently, he made a habit of carrying a small notepad around with him at all times. He used to write down things under the heading: "Things I noticed today that I've missed until today."
That got me wondering about how many things we all miss as we go about our days. If you're like me, you know it's easy to get caught up in a routine you've developed. And once you're in your routine, it's almost like being on automatic pilot for the rest of the day.
How often does it happen that you look back on your day and it just seems to be a blur? Doing the usual things in the usual way. Or maybe you were caught up in a flurry of activity and time passed before you knew it. It's a bit like that old saying about not seeing what's right in front of you. I know that happens a lot to me. The idea of stopping to notice what is in front of you and around you helps bring you back into the present moment and gives you a sense of truly being alive.
Why not give it a try, You could carry a small notepad, like Mr. Williams, or even use a time of day as a cue to stop and notice what is going on around you. We may not all be poets, but we can all capture that heightened awareness and sense of living in the moment that can give a boost to our days.