Food for Thought: Paying Attention

On business travel a few weeks ago, I spontaneously stopped for lunch at a Thai restaurant just off the interstate I was on. My adventurous spirit is one for trying new, local places, so I entered the old looking building with an open mind. 

Soon after taking my order, the waitress placed a dish of lemon chicken in front of me. Then, she laid the accompanying side of rice by the entrée. As I started to dig into the steamed grains with my fork, I stopped.

Here’s the delightful part: I spied a platter, not the typical bowl, of rice in the charming shape of a heart! 

It’s not often that I visit restaurants that take time to creatively transform an ordinary serving of rice into a something so pleasing to the eye. This extraordinary sight brought a smile to both my face and my heart. 

I call these types of refreshing surprises “Divine winks”.  Moments like these cause me to wonder what the universe might be reflecting to me. They cause me to take notice.

Years ago, I started to pay attention to how the universe speaks to us. I have been a student of symbols, signs, synchronicity, dreams, and much more. I’ve learned to take nothing for granted, so I simply consider what is showing up. If it is captivating, seems magical, mystical, mysterious or just plain unusual, I take note. So that day, I paid attention! 

Universally, the heart is a symbol of love. That “heart-shaped rice” moment led me to recognize what I had been feeling while on this business trip: a deep love for others and for helping people through the work I was called to do long ago. As a matter of fact, just a few weeks prior, a dear friend shared how she could feel my “enthusiasm and love for humanity” through my writing.

My life’s work is wrapped around helping restore unconditional love. It is about inspiring and empowering people, individually or collectively, by reconnecting them with their higher, divine qualities and capacities. These capacities speak to a benevolent essence inherent in each of us. Here’s a few:

• Enthusiasm
• Respect
• Trust
• Creativity
• Compassion
• Grace
• Fun & laughter
• Collaboration & Cooperation
• Kindness

The list goes on and on. The key is to use these wholeheartedly at every opportunity. The challenge comes when we are consumed by our fears and negativity, because that is when we undoubtedly disconnect from our innate goodness. That’s human nature, but here’s something worth considering:

It’s been said that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Having learned the hard way, I totally agree! We just have to start paying attention to what is calling our individual spirit.

So, I ask YOU:

• Are you paying attention to what the universe is currently reflecting back to you? 
• What is showing up in your life? Your environment or surroundings? Through other people?
• How do you interpret it’s meaning or significance? If you’re not sure, let me know and I will give you some intuitive feedback. 

This is a great exercise for self-reflection and growth. I invite you to give it a try. Share it with your friends and let the conversation flow. You’ll be surprised not only by what you’ll learn, but also by how you will be inspired. Then, I invite you share your thoughts with me. I would love to hear from you!
Hope you enjoyed this “food for thought”. Next time I’ll connect this topic to overcoming obstacles and challenges. Until then…

I send you hugs ~ abrazos,
Lucy