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There is ecstasy in paying attention. You can get into a kind of Wordsworthian openness to the world, where you see in everything the essence of holiness, a sign that God is implicit in all of creation. Or maybe you are not predisposed to see the world sacramentally, to see everything as an outward and visible sign of inward, invisible grace. This does not mean that you are worthless Philistine scum. Anyone who wants to can be surprised by the beauty or pain of the natural world, of the human mind and heart, and can try to capture just that-the details, the nuance, what is. If you start to look around, you will start to see.
by Anne Lamott
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In her book "Bird by Bird," Anne Lamott explores the transformative power of attentiveness. She suggests that paying close attention can lead to profound experiences, akin to a heightened awareness described by Wordsworth, where one perceives the divine in nature. This perspective invites individuals to recognize the sacredness in all things, although not everyone may innately perceive the world in this spiritual light.

Lamott emphasizes that appreciating beauty and pain in our surroundings is accessible to everyone. Regardless of one's initial disposition towards seeing the world sacramentally, anyone open to it can find depth in life’s details. By becoming more observant, people can discover the richness of existence, capturing the essence of both joy and suffering in their experiences.

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Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
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Anne Lamott
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