Remembering to See

A long time ago I saw a movie where some prisoners planned an escape from a Siberian prison camp. They escaped by loading planks of wood onto a box-car they had to stock and building a false wall. How did they get the wood onto the box-car without the guards seeing? As one of the characters said, "Let them see. Let them get used to seeing." So the prisoners made carrying the wood part of their daily routine, and sure enough, the guards simply stopped seeing the wooden planks for what they were.

This little snippet holds true for so much of life, too. We get so used to doing the same things, seeing the same things, that really we just don't see anymore. Every now and then I remind myself to be aware; I ask myself what sounds I am hearing at a given moment, what textures I can feel against my skin, what am I feeling on the ground beneath my feet. And then I look around, and make a mental note of things - vending machines with Pokari Sweat (a sports drink), and Depresso iced coffee (best thing in a can!).

Sometimes we need a little reminder; tonight we welcomed a new comer to Japan and again, I find myself seeing things again, and enjoying the newness.