I was running the other day, the morning after we arrived in San Diego. As I was running, I noticed a couple things. First, the plethora of oxygen available for my lungs ~ I felt like I could run forever. But I expected that. What I didn't expect was the smells ~ all of which seemed different from what I'm used to. There was the salt air blowing in off the ocean. But more than that, I noticed the sweetness of the plant life.
Things are so lush and green there, and there are so many different smells; so much that's hard to identify for me, and of course then there must be so many smells that don't exist in Colorado.
It seems like what's unusual is appealing, and what I'm used to is drab and boring (grass is greener, right?). I wonder if there just aren't as many things in Colorado that have strong aroma, or if I'm just used to it here and don't smell what is in the air. If I moved to San Diego, would I get used to that so much that I could smell the smells that are here when I come to visit Denver?
And beyond just our noses, do we look too much to what's unusual or exotic at the expense of noticing how much that's right in front of our nose that's worthwhile?
trying to pay attention to what's going on in the world around me
Hmm... I think when I couldn't be out there for awhile, I realized all that was missing. And when I was able to do things outdoors again, I noticed what I hadn't before - the beautiful colors in fall, the smell of rain, the feel of the air all around me when going down a hill, and more. I don't think I noticed those things until they were taken away and I got them back, if that makes sense... it was all right in front of my nose.
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