See the World

A lot of people are spending time right now making resolutions and deciding how they want to change their life.

I love that about January.  It feels like everyone gets a second chance and endless hope.

If 2013 was not perfect, this is your chance to start over.  If you had some bad days this is your chance to put it behind you and begin again.

New year. New life. Fresh start.

I was thinking about this yesterday.  Some of my friends were talking and writing about their "word" for the year.  I love this thought.  A word that describes your dreams, goals and direction for the year.

This year though...I don't want a word. I want a phrase...

A few days ago I was at work.  I got to work at 11 a.m. and was working a double shift.  Double shifts at a restaurant can be brutal.  They are draining and tough, but hopefully busy so it will feel as though the day is moving by quickly.

A friend arrived at 6 p.m. for his shift and asked me if I saw the sky.

"What?  The sky? I've been inside working all day."

"Tiff! You have to see this! It's amazing!"

We started walking towards the door to look at the sky.

"Wait 'til you see the palette of colors. It's just so-"

I cut him off mid-sentence, "Only you would use 'palette of colors' to describe what the sky looks like.  You're such an artist."

We had stepped outside and in an instant I was amazed at the beauty in the sky. So many colors blended effortlessly into each other.  Orange, pink, yellow, blue, gray, light purple.  A beautiful horizontal design connecting them together.

I felt like I was looking at a wonderful secret.

We walked towards the front door of the restaurant and then turned around to look at the sky one more time before it was gone.

While we were standing there a lady walked out of the restaurant. She looked up and exclaimed, "Oh my God!"

My friend smiled at her and responded, "I know, isn't the sky amazing?"

She gave us a strange look as she walked away and said, "It got so much colder while we were inside."

And that is life.

Some people will walk through life complaining about the cold and miss the beautiful moments right in front of them.

I don't want that to be my life.  I want to choose to see the world around me and all it's beauty.

I only have one life, and I want to live it on purpose.

This year I want to see the world...everyday.  

Take a minute.  Look around.  

See the world.