the view from a bike

it is much different than riding my car. suddenly things that were unseen are seen and can be smelled and almost felt. like the fragrant apple trees that line the sidewalk that i pass and the family name on the mailbox on that one back road. the house that was converted to have a ramp and a van that looks like ours. the smell of all the neighbors cutting their grass and the woman running the daycare who's life looks really fun but i'm sure still has days of feeling meaningless. i can't see these from my car but they're always there. and i wonder if this seeing is what life would be like to live with gratefulness. colossians 3 says simply "and be thankful." if i'm practicing gratefulness, will my eyes be opened to all that is around me, as they are on my bike rides? will the world somehow become different to me? if so, i need to be within the small "thanks," because the big ones just feel impossible.

thank you for praying for us.