The FedEx Arrow
Have you ever noticed the hidden arrow in the FedEx logo? It's there - between the "E" and the "x" - in the negative white space. Once you see it, it will be the first thing your eyes are drawn to every time you see a FedEx truck.
The arrow isn't outlined. It isn't a different color. It's just there, in all of its understatedness - waiting to be found. It's easily missed. Unless you're looking for it!
I started thinking about my life in terms of this arrow. I began wondering: Are these "arrows" everywhere? Am I missing them? I want the hidden treasures in the everyday to become what my eyes are immediately drawn to. I want to revel in the Joy and Hilarity that are running around me as I'm buried under piles of laundry. I want to celebrate baby chub and acorns and flour spilled all over my kitchen.
Since spending time thinking about these arrows, I can tell you - they are everywhere! It's a splash of half-and-half instead of skim milk in my morning coffee. It's using our wedding china instead of our everyday dishes - for eating taco dip while watching Monday Night Football. It's discovering that cheerful shade of green playdoh that can only be made by smushing together the blue and the yellow.
Even more importantly, I want to purposefully hide these arrows all over my children's lives. I want to splash their memories with ice cream and lollipops and sprinklers. My hope for them is that they relive their childhood in vivid, sweet color - finding the arrows I've left for them.
I want them to find every single one of them!
have you ever just read something that seems so obvious but it just blows you away? that did it for me :) i love learning from you and hopefully this will become something instinctive for me! love you!!
ReplyDeleteWhat great thoughts you have inspired today! I want to hide arrows throughout my childrens' lives too...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement!
Oh wow, what a wonderful way with words, you have, Sarah! I love this post! For what it's worth, no, I never noticed that silly arrow, LOL ... but I did let Sadie eat rice and tomatoes for BREAKFAST today (her request, LOL)! :o)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog glad I came to yours I love the thoughts you shared here I will be back!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat truth! Thank you for pointing me in the right direction today.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome post - I want those arrows in my children's lives too!w
ReplyDeleteOk, this is one of my favorite postings you've made! You said it so beautifully & made me think of where those arrows are in my life & how to reveal them to our kids. Sometimes it's the hidden treasures that are the most precious to us & are right in front of our eyes.
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm standing in the kitchen reading your blog when Anna comes running up and says "Read to me, Mommy. Come sit with Anna." Talk about treasures... What a great reminder for me today!
ReplyDeleteYour right.....I see it. Great post!
ReplyDeleteSusan
So, so true!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the arrow in the logo before either. My husband is a graphic designer...I wonder if he's noticed it? I'll have to ask him!
Beautiful post Sarah! What a precious treasure that the Lord has revealed this to you now and that you can allow yourself to stop and smell the "coffee" with your kids before they grow up right before your eyes. Believe me, it happens so quickly!
ReplyDeleteI loved going back and checking out your former posts..the video was such a hoot! I'd crack up, too if my mommy was so goofy, hehe. Now I really can't wait to meet you!
Great post. Thanks for the great reminder to enjoy everyday to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Thanks for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteFeel free to come back anytime.
I love your blog. I will be back again.
You said it sister! I love that you found something that we can all start to look for now! I'm goin' arrow huntin'!
ReplyDeleteK
great post, sarah. i guess that's why someone came up with the saying, "don't forget to stop and smell the roses." like you said, now that you're aware of the arrows, you'll be more apt to using them.
ReplyDeleteYou're clever, Sar! Writing a devotional journal? :)
ReplyDeleteCute analogy Sarah. Thanks for the reminders to find the hidden fun in our lives.
ReplyDeleteThat was an excellent post!
ReplyDeleteSar-AH! What an awesome post!! Seriously, it was perfect. You are so right -- and I want to do that, too! Thanks for blessing me with such a wonderful thought today.
ReplyDeleteI love this...what a wonderful thing to think about "giving" your kiddos. GREAT post today!
ReplyDeleteI want arrows, too!
ReplyDeleteSuper post! I never saw the arrows, but now that you pointed it out I can see it first!
ReplyDeleteThis post should get some kind of happy blogger award or something! I'd nominate you, anyway. I think I'm going to print this and put it on my already too-busy fridge, because I say a hearty "amen" to it. Oh, goodness... too often my eyes stay too focused on the mess of playdoh, not the cheerful colors. The cleanup pile at the sink, not the conversation at the table. The dripping children on my floor, not their smiles in the sprinklers. I have my days, but today isn't one of them... thanks for the perfectly timed words!
ReplyDeleteSara, great post. I have never noticed the arror in FedEx before. I will have to think about the arrors that I may be missing. I don't think I am but I will give it an extra look. Thanks, connie from Texas
ReplyDeleteWow! I never saw that FedEx arrow before... cool... but more cool is what you saw in that arrow.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your wisdom!
I love your metaphor and love this post--my favorite so far!
ReplyDeleteSometimes negative space becomes something very positive. Great post!
ReplyDeleteGotta' look for that FedEx arrow now. But, more importantly I need to leave arrows for our family! I have wasted time wishing my children had the sunny childhood I had, the magical Christmases, the holy Easter celebrations, the grassy, sunny, flowery summers and the wonders of learning the way I did. The arrows left for me are not their arrows-----our kids have told us they too had happy childhoods. Now that they all have families of their own I can still leave those arrows for them, our grandkids and my husband and I! Thanks for the encouragement. Often the best ideas are such simple ones-----I love it!
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