I was extremely fortunate to attend the Hayhouse Writers workshop in London earlier this year.
One of the authors, Nancy Levin, posed a question that had a strange and lingering impact that I wasn’t able to 
shake off. She asked the question “What didn’t you see today?”
My mind was instantly curious. My logical and rational left-brain kicked in with a levelling retort, “How could I possibly know that which I had not seen?” This has to be true. Surely had I seen it, I would have known it, wouldn’t I?
But the other, wiser, infinitely expansive part of me seemed to understand differently. It had already begun to explore the depths of this question, “What didn’t I see today?”
Even then, I knew I could simply answer this question from a surface level. For I certainly didn’t see my son’s big blue eyes when I kissed his sleeping head goodbye. Nor did I see my supportive husband’s face when he drove away to a weekend in charge of four children and the challenges of juggling tennis lessons, football matches and homework projects. I am blessed to have his unfaltering encouragement as I move along this path.
But my soul called me to look even deeper, beyond the first or second or tenth answer that rose up inside of me. I wondered in how many different ways I had been blind to the world today. My answers took me to unchartered territory. It dawned on me that I take so much of my life for granted. I tend to breeze from day to day, treating every moment as the step to the place I am really trying to reach, rather than realising that in fact, I am already here.
So as I rushed along my path, trying to be somewhere else other than here, I missed so many – too many – of the gifts of life. I missed the views from the train window and the way that the early mist gently caressed the fields of newly emerging crops bringing reminders and a sense of optimism that all that seems to die will eventually be reborn. I missed the bravery on the man’s face as he faced rejection offering me a copy of the big issue in return for small change. I rushed on past. He has more courage than I have ever had. I know that now. I missed the delicious joy of noticing the smiles on hundreds of new faces, people I didn’t yet know but brought together for a common and collective purpose. So much to witness and bask in, yet I missed it all.
I didn’t forget to smell the roses so much as I moved by so fast that I didn’t even notice they were there. But now I know it wouldn’t take much. A willingness to slow down and just open my eyes. To bring my awareness to where I am rather than analysing what has happened or figuring out where I am headed. Without awareness of what we are missing, all of life’s riches will just pass us by. So what will you see today? Let the question point you towards your roses. See the beauty and miracles in what you are already living and relish in the wonder of life.
By Tiffany Kay
Tiffany Kay is a transformational coach, inspirational speaker and the creator of Living an Inspired Life. After flat-lining through the early part of her life, Tiffany faced a challenging and transformational time of awakening. Following her son’s open-heart surgery, she realised that life matters and made a deliberate and conscious decision to make her life a life that counted. Since then she has been inspiring others to discover the truth of who they are!
Tiffany runs a coaching programme called “Your Life Two” that helps women to turn crises and transitions into awakenings – to design and sculpt an inspired life and to find the happiness they truly deserve.
Tiffany is also the author of “JoyScope” – a book and blog offering daily inspirations to nourish the heart and soul.
Website www.tiffanykay.com and www.yourlifetwo.com
