The art of noticing is a part of being human....
HEART TO HEART
The art of noticing is something you master slowly in life. At first, you notice small things, like a heart shaped from clouds in the sky or stars arranged like a letter. Slowly, you begin to notice bigger, deeper things, like a smile that does not reach the eyes or tears that you were not meant to see. Once you have mastered it, there is no going back, you just cannot. You will notice everything, every single thing, even if you don’t want to. Unwillingly, you will notice everything about everyone.
"I like noticing details that no one else sees." – Amélie (2001)
This quote resonates deeply with me. I feel there are two sides to the art of noticing. One side is beautiful, like when you notice a fading dimple on someone’s face when they smile or the little scrunch their nose makes when they laugh. A flower blooming far from the others, or a sunset with more colours than usual.
The other side is a bit different. It is not really fun. It is when you notice someone losing their spark day by day but cannot do anything about it because it is none of your business, or when you see a homeless child staring at an ice cream shop but cannot help him at the moment, so you spend a few days drowning in guilt.
To be honest, I feel everyone should have this ability. If everyone had it, maybe people would not hurt one another. Maybe the world would be a better place. Maybe we would have world peace.
"To see the world... to feel. That is the purpose of life."
– The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
We are all rushing through life, chasing one thing after another. In this rush, we forget to stop and look around, to take in the moment and relax. What are we rushing for? Stop and spend time with your loved ones while you still can. Spend time with yourself before you lose yourself in the process. Notice things around you. Notice people around you. Notice what is going on around you.
There is so much beauty in the world that we do not notice. If we do not stop once in a while, we will miss everything. When you leave the house today, look at the sky and notice the clouds, do they look like a heart today? Look around and notice the flowers blooming near you, are they jasmines or roses? Notice everything, and also people, especially people. Because they are who need us most, and noticing them is the least we can do.
The art of noticing is a part of being human.
