This morning, as I drove toward the woods for a quiet walk, my eyes were drawn to the faces passing by in car windows. Just glimpses—snapshots of life suspended for a moment in time. A woman with a furrowed brow, lost in thought. A young man laughing, his hand gripping the steering wheel. A child’s face pressed against the glass, eyes wide with wonder. Each fleeting moment felt like a secret held between them and the universe, unknowable to anyone outside.

As I traveled, I began to notice how those snapshots mirrored the way we often move through life. Even with those we think we know well—our friends, our family, our coworkers—we gather fleeting impressions: a smile over morning coffee, a distracted sigh during a conversation, a shared laugh, or a single tear. We collect these snapshots and piece them together like a puzzle, assuming they form the whole of who someone is.

Listening Beyond

But do we ever pause long enough to truly see? To listen beyond the edges of the image we’ve created in our minds? To understand the deeper fears, the quiet joys, the dreams that keep them awake at night, or the vulnerabilities they keep tucked away?

More often than not, we don’t. Instead, we form quick judgments based on these moments, and then, almost habitually, we share those judgments with others. We pull out our snapshots of someone—a passing impression, a single interaction—and we pass it along like a photograph. “Did you see how angry she looked? She’s always so bitter.” Or, “I don’t trust him; he was so rude that one time.”

And as we share these snapshots, they take on a life of their own. Others adopt them as truth, layering their own assumptions on top until the original image is so distorted that the essence of the person is completely lost. It spills over and spreads—a mosaic of misunderstandings, judgments, and half-truths, held together by the glue of our shared opinions.

This habit, so ingrained in us, is a disservice not only to others but to ourselves. It keeps us from seeing deeply, from knowing the complexity and sacredness of another soul. It replaces truth with perception, connection with separation, and love with judgment.

And it’s not just with people. How often do we do the same with the beings who share this earth with us—the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms? We see a fox dart across the road and think only of its cleverness, not its hunger or the delicate balance it keeps in the ecosystem. We glance at a tree and think only of its shade, not the intricate life it supports or the wisdom it holds in its roots. We walk past stones and rivers without pausing to wonder about the ancient stories they carry.

The Power of Choice

What if we chose differently? What if we resisted the urge to pass along snapshots and instead sat with the fullness of a person, a creature, a moment? What if we slowed down, softened our gaze, and opened our hearts? What if we sought to see beyond the surface and into the truth—the fears, the joys, the dreams, and the sacred purpose of all beings, human and beyond?

To see beyond the snapshots requires courage and humility. It asks us to set aside our certainties and embrace the mystery of each being’s unfolding. It reminds us that just as we long to be seen, so does the robin, the oak tree, the river, and the mountain. Every one longs to be met in its fullness, not in fragments.

In this fast-moving world, we are called to slow down, to step into the sacred work of truly seeing. To look past the surface and glimpse the heart. It is there, in the quiet space of connection, that we find the Divine reflected in every face, every leaf, every feather, every grain of sand.

So today, as I walk in the woods and breathe in the stillness, I carry this prayer with me:

May we see with the eyes of love.
May we pause long enough to witness the beauty in the lives of those we encounter, human and beyond.
And may we remember that every passing soul, every living being, is more than a fleeting moment—they are a sacred story worth knowing.

May we all carry this intention into the world, choosing to see beyond the snapshots, into the hearts of those who journey alongside us—on two legs, on four legs, in rooted stillness, in flight, or in whispers beneath the earth. Each one is here with purpose. Each one is worthy of reverence. Each one is a gift.

And may we resist the temptation to pass along our limited perceptions, remembering that the truth of another is never ours to define but always ours to honor. May we meet one another in the fullness of love and curiosity, allowing the Divine in us to see and embrace the Divine in all.

From my heart to yours…

May we all move through life with softened eyes and open hearts, pausing to witness the fullness of the sacred mosaic unfolding around and within us. And may we remember that every step we take toward connection brings us closer to the Divine, reflected in all.

With love and gratitude,
Laurie