Learning to See

Observation Mode
Since I have become a mother, I often spend entire days in observation mode. On Monday, I took my daughter to an art lesson. I never touched the paintbrush; I sat in a chair behind her as she painted. That afternoon, I drove her to the stables for a horseback riding lesson. I rested my elbows on the fence and watched her try out new postures and moves. I am no longer the participant in the action; I am the observer. 

 
 
Learning to See
During the art lesson, I saw that my daughter would have loved to have painted wildly on the canvas, for the contours of the tree to have taken shape as if by magic. I knew it was not easy for her to patiently follow the steps prescribed by her instructor. I also saw the pride in her eyes when the painting was done; she had done it!

At the stables, I could see how badly she wanted to ride like the wind. But the instructor kept her tethered to the lunge line, methodically teaching the basics. When the teacher finally invited her to accelerate to a trot, she caught the rhythm and received her teacher's excited approval.

I wonder whether my child can see the relationship between the tedious practice and the thrill of mastery. How I can help her make the connection?

You can learn a lot by watching.

 
 
Reflection Questions
What did you see today? What did you learn from those observations? 

How often are you able to take time to reflect upon what you have seen? And to translate your reflections into wisdom?

What would you love to be able to see more clearly?