Wonder Bears

I recently met two residents in my own home. They have been there for nearly 15 years. I had just never noticed. 

My sister Susan made this quilt for Dad when he retired in 1994. We got the quilt sometime after Dad passed away in 2001. It has been hanging in our stairway since we moved into this house in 2009. In all that time, I had never noticed the two (or two and a half) teddy bears peering out of the windows. 

I don't know why, but one day recently I took time to notice the squares of this work of art. I was so surprised to see these delightful creatures keeping watch over every trip up and down these stairs. They have seen untold dozens of people making probably thousands of trips from floor to floor. They have seen kids in a hurry, beverages spilled, furniture maneuvered, decorations hauled, wall scratched.

I wonder how much wonder and beauty I have been missing. It takes effort to pay attention. I have to get out of my head and take in the world around me. It also takes time. Hurry doesn't have time for wonder or awe. 

There is more to life than production. Life has so much texture, beauty, and meaning.

If I tune in, I can probably find more teddy bears with more stories to tell.