I'm not sure if I use it because of all the Encyclopedia Brown books I read when young, or the cozy mysteries I read now. In the books, observation is imperative. It's through keen awareness and then putting the noticed tidbits together that allow the detectives to discover the criminal.
"Look" is handy when driving. Have you ever heard a driver in an accident say, "I didn't see him coming"? I have. When I feel myself getting comfortable while driving, I tell myself a firm LOOK. So I look for the cars or the pedestrians or the stop signs, asking myself, "what are you really seeing?" That's compared to what I want to see which might be an empty highway for me to speed towards my destination, or a simple left turn where no other drivers are in my way. (Hm. "my" way. as if.)
It's also fun to think, "If I LOOK, what animals and vistas might I see?" Walking around the block I usually see chickens (yes, people have chickens in their backyard here), vultures, hawks, colorful yard decor, a new friend, and hummingbirds, which I am fascinated by. If I'm driving--besides being attentive to other cars, stop signs and traffic signals--I make myself look at street names since we're new here, landmarks (that's how I first learned there's a cinema in town), and views, especially when I'm driving somewhere...such as the Grand Canyon.
That's right! I finally got to go to the Grand Canyon. Grandma Phoebe told me I should go there one day, so hubby and I did when we moved a tad bit closer to it. That was so fun Looking and Looking and LOOKING!
I've also been looking at our new house. I tell myself to Look. At. It. That way I stop comparing it to where we moved from and trying to get all my stuff packed in the way "it used to be" and start realizing the possibilities and needs of the new home. It allows me to get creative. Chris and I built shelves in the small pantry the other day and it looks great organized the way we have it.
Looking has also allowed me to find new friends. Listening had to be a part of that process too. How wonderful all that looking does.
L O O K I N G...
What have you seen lately?