The Gift of Noticing

Janelle Peregoy contemplates the spiritual gift of noticing the important things that are right in front of us but often escape our attention.

I am often surprised by what I do or do not notice. 

One of my kids recently left a banana peel out on the floor of the living room. My youngest is a repeat offender. Said peel somehow ended up under a recliner. When I walked into the room, a momentarily glimpse of yellow tipped me off that something was amiss. I made a beeline to discover the hidden secret. 

From across the room, my husband observed my cat-like reflexes and with equal parts amusement and incredulity. 

“You zeroed in on that!” 

He was referring to the fact that the whole room was a disaster, with toys, spots equipment, and the general detritus of life with little boys pretty much everywhere.  

Contrast this moment with another, a few weeks later. 

I am at my diocesan office, where I have worked for more than five years. I go down the hallway that leads to the staircase and pretty much anywhere else in the building I want to go. At the end of this hallway, I pass a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe. That image has always been there; hence I have always passed it multiple times a day. 

On that particular morning, something compelled me to examine the colors more closely. In this painting, the blue of Guadalupe’s cloak is a sea of angels in blue robes. The red of her shirt is composed of rosettes. How had I simply never seen these distinctions before?!

Backyard Bliss 

We have one shrub in our backyard that is a haven for pollinators. Our frequent visitation of hummingbirds and bees is a source of smiles. However, this summer it has been all about the butterflies. 

Swallowtails. Monarchs. Mourning Cloaks.  

There are so many! I have counted as many as five at once. 

The butterflies have been such a delight over the past few months that they have inspired a change in my daily routine. Now, I take my morning coffee out to the patio. The joy of their flutters sets the tone for my day and often prompts a spontaneous prayer of gratitude. 

God has not been subtle by sending me legions of butterflies this summer. It has been a tough season for my family, as I have recently been hospitalized on several separate occasions.  

Butterflies are obviously a symbol of hope and transformation. Their time within the chrysalis entails a liquification of their former selves. My moments with the butterflies offer me a gentle reminder of divine presence. 

I got you. 

There is something new on the horizon. 

God Sightings 

Our pastor was recently reflecting in his homily on the importance of “God sightings” in our daily lives. He also stressed the importance of cultivating a personal sense of wonder and openness to God through the people, places, and experiences of the everyday. 

On the way home from Mass, I asked my family to share some examples of God sightings they have recently experienced. 

My 7-year-old earnestly shared his thoughts from the back seat. “All the butterflies we’ve been having are my God sightings. They’re so beautiful and remind me how much God loves us.” 

Thanks to the butterflies, I was experiencing my own God sighting from the front seat. 

Noticing 

Now I may be attuned to a backyard filled with butterflies. Yet, I also muse about what details of the everyday escape my notice. How often do I look at the same painting again and again without experiencing novelty? How often do I see the same parent again and again at drop-off without learning her or his name? How often am I distracted from the most important priorities? 

Noticing is a mindset. Noticing necessitates intention. As my pastor shared, noticing requires cultivating openness to the goodness of God all around us. 

As I have learned this summer, noticing is a spiritual gift. 

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Copyright 2024 Janelle Peregoy
Images: (top, bottom) Canva; (center) copyright 2024 Janelle Peregoy, all rights reserved.