The toy in my hand

As I push Matthew in his pram, I try to get him to look at the beautiful sea, the waves, the spray of the waves crashing against the promenade’s edge, the dolphins when we see them, but he is usually so focused on his book or toy that he may only glance up and not look long enough to see the spray. In fact, most times he misses the things I point out to him because he won’t look long enough. He doesn’t have the attention span nor the patience. If I see dolphins, he won’t watch the spot long enough for them to resurface. I have to keep staring at & around the spot where they are in order to see them.

We too shouldn’t be so focused on material things, acquisitions and things of little value, like Matthew’s toy in his hand, that we miss the beauties of life, and of nature. President Packer said that spiritual experiences can’t be forced. Staring at the sea and willing the dolphins to appear won’t make it happen. We have to be patient and keep watching and waiting for the Spirit to speak to us, or for answers to prayers. If we look away, or are inattentive, if we immerse ourselves in worldly things, we will miss spiritual wonders that may be there, but we aren’t paying attention.