Vegetable Soup

I like to look at the ground. 

In fact, I had one friend tell me she initially thought I must have had weak eyesight because I looked down so much.

Here’s what I’m learning:

Something is weak alright – but it isn’t my eyesight.

I like to look at the ground because it doesn’t look back.

Its so true, isn’t it?  The eyes really are the window into a person’s soul.  You get so much information from a person’s eyes.  In a mere glance, you can see joy, pain, love or emptiness.

I think I kept my eyes down because I didn’t want to be that vulnerable.  I couldn’t handle being that exposed.  (why am I blogging?? )

Do you know what I used to do when someone looked at me?  I would think, “uh-oh, they just smiled at me.  I must have something in my teeth.  Or maybe my hair’s doing some crazy thing.  Aargh!  I wonder what’s wrong.”

Isn’t this absurd?  (note:  my teeth are a food magnet.  Seriously, if lunch is still hanging out there, it okay to say so.)

Finally, it clicked.

There’s nothing wrong.  Actually, something is really right.

I don’t want to look down anymore.

So, I started raising my eyes.  I started looking at people.  I started smiling at them.  And I’m so glad I did.      

Its funny.  I find now that when I look at people and smile, the initial reaction I get is a questionable look that reads, “do I know you?”  It is quickly followed by the person glancing over their shoulder to see if it really is them I’m looking at!  When they realize that yep, it is indeed them, I almost always get a smile back.

Isn’t it cool the way a person’s face lights up when they smile?  Better yet, isn’t it amazing at how much better you feel inside when someone smiles at you?

As much as I believe God wants us to enjoy the creation at our feet,  I think He delights so much more when we enjoy the creation before our very eyes.

Each other.

I spent so much time looking down that I focused too much on my own step.

Now I look at people so I can walk in step with them.

People, its got to start in our homes.

This is where I fall short. 

I can’t tell you how many times one of my children has come up to me & asked a question while I’m reading.  I don’t bother to put the book down.  I just murmur my “sure,” ”okay” or “go ask your Daddy.”

What I’ve basically done was say, “you’re not important enough for me to set my book aside.”  This is definately the last message I would EVER want to send one of my children.

But, they’re getting it.

I came downstairs the other day & Ava was coloring at the kitchen table.  She proceeded to ask me for a glass of milk & a snack, but never once looked up at me.  I could feel myself starting to get angry.  I told her, “please stop coloring for just a sec & look at me when you’re speaking to me.”

Then it hit.  Hard.

I do the same thing to her.   Why should I expect anything different?

Ouch.   

I do the same thing to my husband.  He’ll come home from work & usually I’m finishing up getting dinner ready.  I’ll toss out a “hello” or “how was your day,” but I don’t look at him.  Seriously, how hard is it to put the wooden spoon down, turn & look him in the eyes?

So, I’m learning.  Quickly.

I love my family.  But, its not enough to just say it.  I need them to get this message not only by what I say, but by what I do.

It is my job as a wife to be a friend & support system to my husband.  It is my job as a mother to teach & equip my children.  What they learn at home is what they carry with them into the outside world.

And that’s where we’re going tomorrow.

When did we stop looking at each other?

I walked into a place recently.  I made my way to the receptionist desk, where I was greeted in the following manner.  “Can I help you?”  Okay…so what’s the problem?  Here’s the thing:

The woman never looked at me.

Her focus was on whatever she was looking at on her desk.  It wasn’t until after I finished my, “Hi, I’m here to see…” that she bothered to glance up.

I went to the store & intentionally looked at each person I passed.  Do you know what I saw?  A bunch of people absorbed in their own thoughts.  Quite honestly, no one looked happy.

I passed 78 people. Out of those people, 12 looked back.

Why did we stop looking at one another?

We’re busy, believe me, I understand!  We are surrounded by people & things that fight for our attention everyday.  But, here’s one thing I know: 

We are to be a light in this world.  We can’t become so focused in the way we are living our lives that we lose touch with the people in it.

This is something I’m going to talk about  over the next couple of days.

Hope you stick around!