To Remain Awake
The World is Crowded With Him
On a recent trip downtown I was walking through the majestic Great Hall of Union Station, Toronto. It is a beautiful train space that was restored a few years back and christened by a performance from Canadian jazz great Diana Krall, which I had the pleasure of attending.
As I passed through the station I came across a stunning visual of a multi-coloured butterfly. I stood in front of it while people milled about and thought of yelling out, “Hey everyone, stop and take a look! You’re missing out on something beautiful!” Alas, I didn’t follow through and no one stopped to take it in along with me. Everyone seemed to be preoccupied or scurrying to their next appointment.
Later I thought of some telling lines from C. S. Lewis which highlight the importance of “paying attention” and not missing out on what is “life giving”:
We may ignore, but we cannot evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labour is to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake. (C.S. Lewis)
The varicoloured “mariposa” invites us to pause and appreciate the “God-moment” found in its striking beauty—or, as Lewis muses “to attend—to come awake—to remain awake.”
Let us open our minds and spirits to the animating presence of God. And know that every moment we receive is a gift from above and an opportunity for “attending” with grateful hearts.