I love nature. I notice every brown anole that runs across the sidewalk as I walk to and from the car. I can’t help it. I notice the dry leaves lying on the ground and I have to run and step on each one of them and hear their delightful crunch. I notice the wind and how it feels against my skin and the smell it carries or the wonderful earthy smell after a rain. I notice every new leaf that shoots up from my white bird of paradise houseplant. Maybe most people don’t find nature as exciting as I do, but I must admit my life would be quite dull and lonely without all the little delights that nature brings. If left to myself I can spend hours watching one bird or gazing at one flower.

One time while my husband and his parents went to church, I decided to stay home and instead walk a mile to the nearby park. I walked around the pond observing every coot and crane. I tried to get as close as I could without scaring them away. I continued around the pond and in the shade of the bald cypress trees, I found a single beautiful stalk of daisies in the grass. I sat with the daisies for maybe an hour, noticing every little detail, noticing how intricate each of its petals were. They had little ridges and edges. The yellow centers were even more intricate with many different heights and shapes of yellow bumps. I loved the way the daisies danced in the wind. Swaying wildly from side to side. The sunlight reflected on the pure white petals making them glow. These flowers were far from perfect. The stem leaned, the three flowers were unevenly spaced and overlapping one another, some of the daisies were missing petals, but this did not subtract from its beauty if anything it made the flower more beautiful.

When you stop and enjoy one flower for an hour it changes you, it changes the way you see things. It’s easy to take such a little, seemingly ordinary thing for granted and miss its beauty. Imagine how many beautiful flowers we miss every day, and even though they may go unnoticed by human eyes, they are still there, growing, living, dying, withstanding rain and wind and heat, standing proud and beautiful even when everyone just passes them by. I can’t help but admire them for their resilience and strength despite our ignorance. To notice one is truly a blessing, a joy accessible to many that few partake in. Most people have bigger things to concern themselves with, what’s so special about a little daisy?

I thought daisies often went unnoticed until I continued walking through the park and happened upon a flower I had nearly missed. The whole flower was smaller than the unopened buds on the daisy. They were a vibrant sunset pink with hints of orange if you look close enough.

Once I saw this flower I wondered if there were more tiny flowers I never noticed, and sure enough, there were. Not far from these flowers, I spotted these little four-petal flowers that looked like stars. Bright white with pink accents, they shine from the dark green leaves and pine needles that lie underneath. They were smaller than the pink ones, so tiny I’m sure I’ve missed them a thousand times.

I was in awe. For someone who loves nature so much, I had still managed to miss these tiny beauties, many, more intricate and stunning than the more popular larger flowers.

As I continued walking around the pond I watched a flock of white ibises graze. While watching them, I couldn't help but notice even the tiniest flowers now that for years I had overlooked. I soon found whole patches of them hiding in the grass. If you didn't look close you would think there was just grass there, but when you do, you discover a whole new world of miniature ecosystems, just as beautiful and filled with life as their larger counterparts.

What beauty do we miss every day as we go about our busy lives focused on the bigger beauties and problems? How much little wonders may we completely pass by?