A Perfectly Good Puddle

I was driving home for lunch after a storm front had dropped a heavy rain, after an already well-soaked winter. Though the rain had stopped, traffic was still moving very slowly. I have come to realize over time that when traffic is moving slowly there is always something I’m supposed to see; something that I would miss if I was racing by at my usual speed; a leaf falling, an egret in flight, a rainbow, a message. I started looking around for what that might be. I was not disappointed. Over on the shoulder of the freeway was a duck in a newly formed puddle! Though the puddle was small the duck was splashing and appeared to be having the time of his life. Surely this puddle would be gone as soon as the earth had an opportunity to absorb all the water. But the duck was unaware of that future event, as certain as it was. He was enjoying this present moment, in the now, in the new found joy of a perfectly good puddle.

That picture stayed with me throughout the week as I reflected on Nature’s lesson for me.

If the duck responded like a human he might never notice or appreciate the puddle because it wouldn’t last, or wasn’t large enough or maybe if he flew further he would find a whole lake! Or he might enjoy the puddle, but not leave when it dried up leaving him stuck in the mud. Or maybe he would keep refilling it with a hose so he wouldn’t have to move on to something different.

How many opportunities for joy do we overlook because it won’t last long or it didn’t look the way we thought it should or surely there must be something bigger, better further ahead. Or stay with a situation long after the joy/growth it offered has passed.

I’m not saying we have to say yes to every opportunity for joy, because I know we get to choose the joys of our experience from an abundant supply. I know if you look for joy, believing it is there, you will find it. (The same is true for trouble!) I’m not saying we need to leave when an experience becomes less than joyful, because I know we get to choose from the infinite potential of Life’s experience and emotions.

I’m just saying choose joy whenever and where ever you can and if you get 5 minutes, 5 months, 5 years or a lifetime of Joy, then that is its own reward!