3-D Magical Puzzle Look Closely

Hello All,
Today I was visiting my in-laws with my daughter when my father-in-law brought out one of those 3-D Puzzles where it looks like nothing is there but a design but as you continue to stare the "Magic" pops out. Do you remember these? They were real popular in the early 90's or so. Anyway he gives it to my daughter and of course she sees the image almost immediately. I on the other hand with my analytical left brain going full blast with all that we had to do, and on a time schedule to get back home, etc. could not see anything. Now granted I never liked these things and have always had a hard time with them could not see it.

I remembered how to do it: Focus on one spot and stare and let the picture begin to blur, blah blah blah, but alas nothing. I was determined to see the darn image which had already been described to me by my father-in-law and my daughter as a Northern Pike. My daughter lovingly points to the mass of swirls and psychedelic colors and says, "see dad his mouth is right here."

O.K. I know he's there, and I know how to do it, but with all the pressure to "see it" I kept getting shaken out of my intense gaze and would have to start all over again. Finally, I'm like let me just do it. My daughter giggled under her breath. "AHA, I see him, I see him." Look there's his mouth and fins and he's popping out...MAGIC. Too bad my father-in-law had already walked away, so I couldn't tell him I saw it.

So what does this all have to do with The Successful Path you might ask? I think that many things in our life our just like the Magical 3-D puzzle. We may try and try and even know how to do something and yet we have no results. We try harder and harder and even become intensely focused only to no avail. Sometimes we need to sit back and relax and let things become a little out of focus, o.k. downright blurry and watery-eyed, before it comes into focus.

I think the message is also that we must slow down, really slow down to see the MAGIC. We miss it when we rush or analyze what is very obvious and right in front of us. We don't have to do anything special but take the time to become conscious and aware. Looking at this 3-D puzzle I felt the shift from left brain analytical to right brain visual spatial literally. I was in the logical analytical part of my brain that absolutely could not see the image before me, but as soon as I relaxed and let go of any expectations of what was to come, there it was looking me right in the eye so to speak.

The message became even more clear as I felt hurried that we had so many things to do and I had promised my daughter a nature walk. I balked, she pouted, we went, and again the same message. "Slow down, look, breathe, stay present, and MAGIC again. We had a fantastic time full of wonderful surprises. We were able to see ducks, squirrels, rabbits, and a beautiful white bird that I have yet to name. This is the 3-D Magic of our lives.