Little Things

The second email from Lydia and Amy at 31 Days of Adventure arrived this morning. It told me to pause and notice the littlest things. Easy. I teach that. Pause. And notice. Notice the way the your ribs lift and spread when you breathe in. Notice how Utthita Balasana (extended child's pose) changes if you stretch just your middle fingers forward a bit more. Notice, like we did in class this morning, how your shoulder blades move onto your back if you externally rotate your arms.

Little things make a big difference in a yoga practice.

While my adventurous spirit was busy looking for little things, I was reminded of a New Year's Eve conversation. My husband, my friend and I were recalling a Saturday night just over a year ago, when a llama walked into a bar and some of the people in the bar chose not to notice.

I'm serious.

The llama was in town for a holiday celebration, part of Santa's entourage. When the kids went home the llama's handler stopped into a local bar for a beer. The llama, a friendly beast, followed him in and, after saying hello to a few people, sat quietly on the floor.

My husband, my friend and I happen to know Santa personally, so we'd already been introduced to the llama. We sat with him in the bar and watched as people wandered in and, without even glancing at the llama, climbed onto bar stools and turned their backs on the livestock in the bar. Occasionally someone would notice and would make a big deal about petting or kissing the llama. Those who chose not to notice never turned around to see the shenanigans going on behind them.

You thought I was making this up, didn't you?

Why did today's adventure make me think of the llama? I can't help but wonder if people who can ignore a somewhat smelly, six foot tall, hairy and definitely out-of-place bar patron could ever notice the little, wonderful things that are part of every day.

If they can't see the llama in the room, would they ever notice the light spilling through a pine tree?