One Sunday morning during the Olympics, while I was heading into London and was waiting on a platform at London Bridge for my connecting train to Charing Cross, I was impatiently waiting for the train to arrive. With the Olympics, more people were passing through London Bridge to get to different events that were on.
As I was waiting, a father walked by with his young daughter on her shoulders. She was looking and was looking up at the Shard – the new building that has gone up beside London Bridge. All she said was “Spiderman”. Her father looked up and smiled.
In my impatience, I hadn’t noticed a number of people abseiling down the side of the building. In a moment, a young child reminded me that I hadn’t been paying much attention to my surroundings. While waiting for the train, I had a few minutes to stop and look.
It also occurred to me that I had come so accustomed to seeing the Shard as I passed through London Bridge station most days, that I had become immune to it being there. I was seeing it without actually seeing it.
Sometimes we need something – like a child, a tourist or even a break from the routine – to remind us to stop, look and be mindful of our surroundings. It is easy to forget to stop and look, even for me!