We were walking our local lanes, when Mrs H paused and pointed to a juniper tree.   

We’d walked past it just an hour earlier and hadn’t noticed any berries.  

Yet when we stopped and looked, we (well she) spotted several of the purple fruits.   

Then more.   

Then dozens.   

It was as if the branches were sprouting as we looked.   

And a few feet away a second tree. With even more jutting juniper.  

The walk home consisted of more juniper spots and blackberry scoffs. 

Have you seen them this year? Wow!  

We see what we want to see.  

I love the story of the old smuggler who would ride his bicycle from West to East Berlin. 

He always transported a bag of sand on the back of his bike. 

The checkpoint guards would delight in opening the bag, only to search and find nothing but sand. 

He always made it to the other side.  

What guards didn’t realise is that he was smuggling something… 

Bicycles. 

We notice what we want to see and in doing so, are blind to everything else. 

What have you missed? 

You’ll spot more (and I mean this literally and metaphorically) when you slow down, look around and gaze beyond your normal view. 
 
I’d love to know your view. You can leave a comment here.