Less than three hours in the country and already beautiful things are happening!
Our flight was smooth; about three hours with little turbulence. The in-flight snacks were tasty. And even though I was in the middle seat, I didn’t feel squished! On one side sat my friend Cheryl who created and runs Faithful Servant Missions. On the other side was a woman born in Costa Rica who has lived in the United States for the past 30 years. Both of these women are familiar with both cultures, and it was the perfect transition into the country.
I began my plane routine (see previous post) while intermittently chatting with my seatmates. The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin was my plane read. It’s full of short sayings and quips about creativity, obviously. It has little bursts of wisdom throughout, all focused on awe and wonder and appreciating the little things. It invites readers to see the image of God in all people, the fingerprints of God on all things, and the mystery of God in all nature. At least, this is what I perceive so far. I’m only 106 pages in.
One of my favorite pages simply says, “Look for what you notice but no one else sees.”
What do you tend to notice that no one else sees?
This was also a trend of TikTok recently, to the tune of “I pay attention to things most people ignore…”
What do you pay attention to that most people ignore?
One thing I notice that no one else sees is not what’s seen but what’s felt. Through intentionally slowing down over the past couple years, I’ve developed more of a sensitivity to the world around me. It’s hard to explain, but it’s similar to when you can feel someone watching you, but not as unsettling. It’s more of an attuned awareness to the world.
So when I stepped off the plane, I felt the kindness of the ticos (what Costa Ricans call themselves colloquially) all around me! Costa Ricans are known for being friendly. And with the kindness of the American tica sitting next to me transitioning me into the country, I was already feeling the love!
Once I got through customs, immigration, and baggage claim, I stepped outside to head toward the car and was surrounded again. This time by mountains! Covered in greenery and fog, mountains could be seen from every angle.
Can you picture it? Surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation in the form of people and nature.
Can you feel it?
