Don't be distracted from the beauty around you

By Rennie Phillips

I was visiting with a friend the other day, and I mentioned I'd like to see the Northern Lights. When I was little you could see them once in a great while, but they were hard to see. I'd like to see them in person and up close if you will. My friend said he had seen them one time while in Iceland, and they were just awesome. That is what I'd like to experience.

We talked about how they are caused by this and that, and I've read a little on it. But I commented that I didn't want all the facts about how the lights are formed. I just wanted to experience the beauty. I didn't want all the facts to get in the road of the beauty of the Northern Lights.

Kind of like the great fish swallowing Jonah in the story in the Bible. I've read the story countless times and tried to picture it in my mind. Only my picture isn't accurate even in the least amount. I picture Jonah in the belly of the great fish sitting at a table with chairs with a candle on the table. Nothing like what the real experience was probably like. But I really don't want to know about all the nasty details. I like my story which I've had from when I was little. And to this day I've never preached on the actual factual picture of Jonah in the belly of the great fish. I'm not so interested in the details at the expense of the story.

Growing up in cattle country, I've watched countless cows give birth. Also assisted gosh-knows how many who just didn't have the strength to give birth or the calf was too big or maybe backward. I'm always amazed how the cow has the calf and then kind of cleans them off. And in the process that little calf struggles to stand and finally makes it. And something the calf is born with directs them back to the cow's bag where he goes to sucking milk. Always amazing to me, but I grew up with it. For someone who has not been around this it might be too much. All the facts just might get in the road of them enjoying the new born calf and watching him suck.

It's kind of like we are standing in front of an awesome painting by Remington and someone is there describing the picture in detail. When it was painted and where and on and on and on. My first thought would be to tell them to give it a rest and shut up. I simply want to enjoy the painting.

Years ago we invited some friends of ours to come and visit and help us bottle feed the calves. So they showed up and we took them in the barn where we had seven bottle babies. Marge and I were used to the calves and the smells and the sounds. Our friends weren't. When a baby calf and especially a bottle baby goes to the bathroom it stinks. Doesn't smell like older cattle who only eat grass. When those little babies eat milk, man, it has a smell. I never even thought about it. Our friends noticed right off. The wife had a hard time even breathing while they were in the barn. Some of the facts got in the road for her to enjoy it.

But their little boy was something else. He never even noticed the smell. He was just enthralled by the baby calves and the milk bottles with all the sights and sounds and the smells. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. The awesomeness of the moment was up front for him.

Odd how we as a society have gotten more and more busy or activity prone. We hardly ever do anything without ear phones or some form of listening device. Hardly ever do we just lay down our phones and enjoy the moment. We have lost the awareness of the beauty around us by replacing it with activity and noise and commotion. Our vehicles are so full of technology it's like they are alive and there to entertain us.

Back when I was a kid, Mom and Dad and Mick and I'd drive down to Lake McConaughy to do some fishing. We'd drive to Hiney's for some minnows and some worms. Then Dad would drive to No Name Bay, and back then there were times when not a single person was there. Beautiful sight. Water was crystal clear and the beach around the lake was fine, almost white sand. When we waded out in the lake, you could see your tennis shoes. But back then all I had on my mind was fishing. Didn't care about how pretty it was. Didn't care about how clear the water. I was going fishing. Pretty and beautiful took a back seat to fishing.

Since then many a day I've longed to go back there and experience that same bay again, but it simply won't happen. No Name Bay is wall to wall tents and campers and beach goers. All one can hear is the sound of jet boats or Jet Skis and people. People rave about how beautiful the lake is and how relaxing it is to just be on the big lake. And it might be for them. I couldn't enjoy it with all the noise and activity and people. Something else that causes us problems recognizing beauty are disagreements and strife and discord. They steal our joy and that enthusiasm for life. Many times it will leave us with a bitter spirit.

One of my theology professors spoke to me when we were packing up and heading to Kentucky so that I could work on my master's in religion. His words of wisdom were: "Don't forget to stop and smell the roses!" He knew we would be going all the time in Kentucky with little personal and family time. With all the studies and work and activities there wasn't much time for personal relaxation. His advice was to stop and see the beauty surrounding us.