Blindsided

 

A few years ago on a cool June morning, I hiked to an overlook of the Primrose Cirque, where the trail from Aspen Grove leads to Mt. Timpanogos. Going up into that cirque is one of my favorite hikes in the spring, because that bowl behind me that has snow in the photo is filled with waterfalls, flowers, and lots of green.
In spite of the beautiful background scenery that is so captivating, alert viewers might have noticed a small forehead wound, made to look a little more dramatic when the blood ran down my forehead and spread into the wrinkles of the skin. It really did look worse than it was, but it does present a story and a lesson.
The second photo shows how I was attacked and wounded. I have a little problem with peripheral vision due to glaucoma; when my eyes are fixed on upcoming obstacles in the trail, or looking down at flowers, I don't always see things that tend to strike me in the forehead. I confess this has happened more than once. 😃
Sometimes in life, we get "blindsided" by something because we're not paying enough attention to the things going on around us. There may be obvious clues and warnings, but if we're thinking only of a particular problem or challenge, or even dwelling too much on a good thing, we can miss warning signs. It's important to always be watching, thinking, pondering, aware of our world. For the less-physical kinds of things, that requires quiet time for pondering, listening. Most of us don't do that near enough!
I #GiveThanks for the many warning signs in my life that (generally) keep me safe and protected.


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