It Is Here

Recently, I posted a photo of a tree to one of my social media pages. It was a picture my wife shared with me. She took it at a park in Cookeville, TN, while we were celebrating my son’s college graduation with some of his friends. She told me it was a photo of a tiger’s eye. The caption I put with the picture was, “The trees can see love everywhere. How ‘bout you?”

 

Photo by Jennie R. Jenkins

A friend responded to my post with, “You see what you are looking for. Fortunately, you are looking for lovely images.” Through the years, I’ve heard many people say that we will usually find whatever it is we’re looking for. I used to think this meant each of us had blinders on; that we were afraid to see other things, so we only saw what we liked or what we could deal with.

Now, I realize there’s more to it than this. I understand that what we’re looking for is here. Whether it’s good or evil, love or fear, hope or despair, it’s all here. For me, the question becomes, “What will I celebrate, foster, and feed; in myself and in others?” I’m looking for good, love, and hope, in your life and in mine. I know it’s here.

This doesn’t mean I don’t know about the shadows that are also here. I know them well. It means I will not feed or water evil, fear, or despair. I will search for, coax, and lift-up the grace at the center of all our lives.

Whatever you’re looking for, I’m pretty sure you’ll find it; so, be careful where you focus.  

The heart's eye struggles

to hold multiple vision points.

As long as you're focused

on what's not going

according to your plan,

you'll never see all

the beauty that grace

is unfolding under your nose.

© 2015 Todd Jenkins