i love how dusk transforms trees into black outlines on the horizon. some of the trees at home are so detailed-thousands of tiny little branches drawn against the night sky. it completely stuns me (and makes me wish i had a better camera and/or patience/skill to sketch them.)

anyway, i've been thinking a lot lately about just being more aware of the little things. i go through these stages where i get into my routine and stop noticing things. or i still notice things but immediately forget about them. i want to learn how to truly live in the moment and drink it all in.

this morning on the way to work, i stopped at a stop sign (that i stop at every day) and noticed for the first time that a vine covered in tiny white flowers had grown all around the post to the bottom of the red sign. it was so beautiful.

then in internetville, i came across this:
Ten Thoughts on Whole Living
(from Body and Soul magazine)
1. Your home is more than the sum of its walls. Make it a sacred space.
2. Creativity is a lifestyle, not simply an activity. Let it expand you.
3. True forgiveness springs from love, not regret.
4. Learn something new. Emphasize the trying, not the succeeding.
5. Spend some time in the dirt. You'll be amazed at what nature can inspire.
6. You don't have to have a perfect body to feel great in it.
7. Define yourself by who you are, not the roles you play.
8. Find rejuvenation in five minutes of silence.
9. Contribute to abundance. If you no longer need something, pass it on.
10. Find direction in your life by looking where you want to go, not where you don't.