I sometimes try to look around with what I call
“new eyes”
“new eyes” that may never have seen what I’m looking at,
“new eyes” that are surprised and filled with a sense of wonder and appreciation,
freshly “seeing” the beauty and wonder that I’m so “used to”
So often, I don’t even notice the wonder of what I see…
to see life with
“new eyes”

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So…the way I “see” it,
this idea is only as good as its “applied use”
using that idea of looking at life with “new eyes”
“looking around me with new eyes”
in my everyday life
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So….here I go…
an example…
actually what I consider a very special example
looking at what might be considered….
ordinary, everyday running water

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The past few days I’ve been filled with a sense of wonder
about the “miracle” of running water
ordinary, everyday running water,
something I seldom notice or think about,
something I usually just take for granted
and certainly don’t typically “appreciate”

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Sometimes I find it easier to access “new eyes”
in this case, seeing running water,
by using my imagination

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So…accessing those “new eyes”
by imagining visiting from somewhere far away….
somewhere people don’t have access to what I have might have access to…
perhaps, visiting our homes from a remote, dry area
an imaginary visit
opening up and focusing those “new eyes”

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In my mind, I actually added onto that guided imagination….and explained a few aspects of the water uses in our own home….it’s kind of interesting to try to explain the dynamics of an automatic ice cube maker, chilled water dispenser in/on the refrigerator door,  choices of water temperature in the clothes washer,  automatic temperature and pressure controls in the shower and automatic outdoor landscape watering…not to mention the 8 hydro-jets in the bathtub.

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This isn’t to induce a sense of “guilt,”
but rather to encourage  a sense of wonder and appreciation
to realize how fortunate we are
to stop, notice, “take in” and appreciate what we have
so much of it…we don’t even notice
to shift into a sense of appreciation and gratefulness
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Last evening, I decided to try to draw a “mind map”
trying to think of various water uses in our own home
Water coming from the mountains, to the city, to our home…
it actually took some thinking and concentration…
I hardly notice what we have in our own home
and I certainly seldom feel much appreciation for it

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Isn’t it amazing what we have access to?
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Sometimes, I continue by imagining a possible conversation
between two “aspects” of myself
that aspect of myself  that is just “used to” what I have….and not really very appreciative
and that more “awakened” aspect of myself,
the one who is able to see the sense of wonder
and is filled with appreciation and gratitude
That sense of  “me”  who is  able to see
with
“new eyes”

And so….
there’s a little journey I take…
a journey of learning to become more aware,
learning to access and develop that sense of deep appreciation and wonder
learning to see aspects of my own life…
water, air, a functioning body, a usable mind,
family, friends, people, relationships,
animals, earth, nature, space, science, technology
homes, health, jobs, food, communities,
opportunities, possibilities,
connections, warmth, love, kindness…
learning to shift my perspective and practicing seeing all of those
….with “new eyes”…

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looking at life with “new eyes”

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A little extra note of thanks to the warm and supportive people and “teacher”  in a wonderful class that I’m taking…encouraging us to develop living with a sense of  “taking in the good”…that sense of pausing, noticing, taking in and appreciating… perhaps a first step might be “seeing life with new eyes”….  😀

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ps…I created this post simply to help with improving awareness of the wonders in one’s everyday life.
After writing and reflecting on this post, however, I realize that I do want to find and support organizations that help other people on earth have access to that basic human necessity… access to clean water.
After “touring” my home, my perspective shifted, particularly with the automatic ice maker and bathtub jets. Certainly I am developing more and deeper appreciation for what I have…but I also can see what others, people just like myself, don’t have…and so I’m expanding the post to include links to organizations, in case people want to see what is “happening” around the world to support access to clean water.  If any readers know of reputable, grass roots organizations that are working to develop access to clean water in rural areas of underdeveloped countries,  might you be willing to leave links in the comments section of this post? I’ll add links to websites/organizations that are working to support that type of access to this post. As I wrote, “guilt” is not helpful, but I think it’s important to be  looking out for and supporting each other within our larger human family…. to offer support to others who are less fortunate than we might be…. so that they can have access to healthy water supplies….as in the “common humanity” phrase….”just like myself, this person wishes for easier access to clean, drinkable water….”…what affects one, affects us all….common humanity.

A few links for developing awareness of world water needs
Kiva.org    http://www.kiva.org/    SanFrancisco based company that makes microloans to people in need.  Three different people have recommended this group in the comments area of this post. 98.94% repay rate by borrowers
Wells Bring Hope, saving lives with safe water in South Africa  http://www.wellsbringhope.org/
Micro loans to women in Africa for building wells  http://www.wellsbringhope.org/micro-loans
Women of the Wells, building wells in impoverished countries  http://womenofthewells.org/what.htm#mission
Empowering Women Through Water  http://thewaterproject.org/water-womens-empowerment.php

World Water.org  http://www.theworldwater.org/about_water.php
Global Water.org   http://www.globalwater.org/
Water for Life, school to school support http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/ http://www.h2oforlifeschools.org/index.php/the-water-crisis/learn-about-the-issue
Water for the Ages  http://waterfortheages.org/international-water-organizations/
The Water Project  http://thewaterproject.org/
The World Bank, water in Nepal  http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/IDA/0,,contentMDK:22332079~menuPK:4754051~pagePK:51236175~piPK:437394~theSitePK:73154,00.html