A Toad Dropped By

The amazing things you see when you are aware.

“The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

W.B. Yeats¹

Photo by Christopher Marlow

Taking out the trash might seem like the least likely thing to connect to mindfulness.

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Each morning my practice is to start the day by walking outside and connecting with the Earth.

Typically my son takes care of the trash but he was called into work and it fell to me to do it instead.

Despite the task, I decided to stay with my routine. The air was thick as it often is in August. You could almost ‘see’ the humidity.

I paused, took a deep breath, and felt the ground beneath my feet. The grass still wet from rain the night before felt cool. Sticky air surrounded me.

I was connected to my surroundings and my day.

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Rolling the trash can to the curb I noticed something unusual at the base of the maple tree that sits in the middle of the yard.

It’s an older tree with lots of crags and twisted bark.

At first, I thought it was wet bark but as I got close I could see it was a large toad.

The toad stayed in that spot most of the day. My son was kind enough to take this marvelous picture for me later that day.

If I had simply walked out of the house and taken care of the trash there is no way I’d have noticed him.

By being present and centered I witnessed something fun.

It’s amazing what we can see when we are aware.

🌀Reflection:

1. Do you recall a moment when you consciously paused, took a deep breath, and felt the ground beneath your feet during an outdoor activity?

   1. How did this experience make you feel?

2. Think about a recent time when you were fully present and centered during a routine activity.

   1. How did this heightened awareness allow you to notice things you might have otherwise missed?

   2. Did it lead to any unexpected moments of joy or connection with your surroundings?

3. Can you recall an instance where being mindful and present helped you discover something unique or fascinating in your environment, just like how I noticed the toad at the base of the maple tree?

   1. How did this experience impact your mood or outlook on that day?

4. How might you incorporate more mindfulness into your own daily routine?

   1. What small steps do you think you could take to be more present and engaged in your surroundings, even during seemingly ordinary tasks?

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🌀 Remember: No matter what has come before, today is a fresh start. 🌱

Let’s make things a little bit better. 🌱

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1. The quoted source is in dispute and is explained here. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/07/07/magical-things-waiting/