My desk, like my life, is feeling a little cluttered. I’m working to change that. I want to slow things down. Enjoy, savor the moments. Recently I read,”There is sacred in what appears to be mundane.” I seek that sacredness! I am looking for the beauty and blessedness in the ordinary around me. Bursting daffodils with their delicate scalloped petals offer me their beauty. Tulip buds are taut and full; hints of colour foretelling what lies hidden inside. A couple more days of warm weather and the tulips will be revealed in all their glory.

I walk past a homeless man holding out his lion puppet. The encounter puts a smile on my face. He sits in his chosen spot. A piece of grey, uneven sidewalk under the overhang of a dollar store entrance. His blackened backpack is placed to his left and slightly behind him. The lion is on his left hand. This motley muppet could use a bath, as could its owner. The wheaten terrier golden wool is matted and looks like it has spent many days frolicking in a muddy field. But a grin splits its head as I walk by and its owner manipulates his character. “Smile at the pretty lady! It’s a beautiful day!” It’s hard not to smile back. The sight in front of me is impossible to ignore. The man himself has dirty blond hair. He has a happy voice and eyes that light up as he speaks. His own smile shows missing teeth and neglect but also the heart of a gentle soul. He asks for nothing. He doesn’t beg or have his hand out. He is just there with his puppet.

How does he spend his days? Where does he sleep at night? Is his head full of clutter and worry like mine? How does he view the world?

I see a fallen angel. Wounded wings ground a charming soul. At a glance he appears down and out but the charm that lives within still shines through. My gait feels a little lighter, my day a little sunnier. I have had a glimpse of the sacred in the mundane.