Kaleidoscopes in Unexpected Places

Kaleidoscope: derived from Ancient Greek; kalos (meaning beauty, beautiful) + eidos (meaning form, shape) + skopeo (meaning to observe, consider, examine)

 

Kaleidoscopes are all about perceiving the world differently; observing beautiful forms in everyday objects or places. I recently learned that they can also be found in the most unexpected places. 

The photo to the right, is one of several in an exhibit entitled, Kaleidoscope by Artists for Humanity; a public installation in Terminal C at Logan International Airport in Boston.  As I waited in the terminal to bid my youngest daughter, Jen, goodbye as she returned to college after winter break; to my left were the TSA screening checkpoints with a long queue of tired and harried-looking passengers and to my right were these stunning kaleidoscopic images of nature and beauty. How many of the people in line turned their heads and saw these photos of serenity amidst the chaos and aggravation of a full body scan? I don't know, but my guess is not many. 

My resolution this year is to look for the extraordinary in the ordinary by taking some time to turn my head and look at the world through the lens of a kaleidoscope...the same world just perceived differently.

Happy New Year...What Are Your Priorities This Year?

"Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes...how do measure, measure a year?", asks the opening song from the musical Rent.  Our new year's resolutions often focus on beginning a new year with better time managment skills, more effective prioritization of tasks and in general being more organized with our time.  Does this sound familiar?  If so, I invite you, at this beginning of a brand new year, to take a breath...and then read an email I received today from a colleague at University of Massachusetts/Boston.  It made me stop in my tracks and simply smile at the profound wisdom of a six-year-old:

"Here is a suggestion from my six-year-old daughter on how to start your TO DO list. Two of days ago, I wanted to teach her how to make a plan for the day so I asked her to bring me a notepad to write down what we would like to accomplish. She jumped quickly and brought a note that said “LOVE” and without even waiting for me to ask her anything, she said: “Mommy, I wrote the first item on the agenda” grinning from happiness. “Isn’t LOVE the most important anyway?”, she added.

As I watched her in awe, I noticed a change in my state of mind. “Yes, dear child, LOVE is the most important”, I said to her and thought to myself … “even if nothing else gets accomplished for the day but we share LOVE with each other the day would be quite successful”. We made a schedule for the day and moved on. Every time we were in disagreement we reminded each other “What was the first item on our Agenda?”

Put LOVE first in your daily/weekly/yearly TO DO list and simply enjoy the benefits it will bring to your life."

What incredible insight and what a good suggestion for the first item on the inevitable TO DO list(s) in our lives!  How will you measure your precious five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes this year? How about in LOVE.

Wishing you LOVE in the new year,
Pam