closer than you think
“Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.”
I remember reading that phrase on our family Subaru’s passenger side mirror when I was a kid and trying to figure out what it meant. It didn’t quite make sense to me. Why would objects be closer than they appear to be? Why did this have to be written on the mirror to remind us?
One of my son’s favorite activities right now is playing in the front of my current family Subaru. He pretends to drive, accidentally hits the horn and gets scared, turns on the hazard lights, and climbs nimbly from one seat to the next, trying every button and lever he finds along the way. The other day, as I was sitting in the passenger seat supervising, I noticed that same phrase on the mirror next to me. It stuck with me and has coincided with a deeper spiritual and existential curiosity. It seems to me that there’s a whole lot of life that is closer than we think it is.
What do I mean by that?
People we love who have died - they are much closer than they appear to be, or than we think they are. I believe they are absolutely with us in spirit. They show up in our favorite song coming on the radio, or a quick thought passing through our minds to make that recipe that reminds us of them. They show up as robins on the lawn hopping after a worm. As a wise friend and medium passed onto me after my mom died, she shows up in a variety of ways and forms. If the thought crosses my mind that maybe that’s her, it is.
More space and time for myself is just a walk or an unexpected 20-minute free window with no obligations away. The energy I want to bring to my family – calm, relaxed, joyful – is just a few mindful breaths away. I’m reminded that growth isn’t linear and massive shifts can come from the tiniest shift in energy. Something can be building towards change behind the scenes for days, months, or even years – and when the conditions are just right, transformation occurs and that thing is now different.
That which we desire is closer than we think it is.
That which we desire is closer than it appears to be.
Here’s a quick example. The other day, I had some big emotions come up. They reminded me of emotions I had as a teenager. Mostly, it was fear that kept me small. I allowed myself to feel the emotions. I asked what my younger self needed. I listened to her and gave her a hug, let her know I love her and wore some clothes that she would like. I felt completely different afterwards. My energy had shifted entirely, and I felt whole and free.
Of course, this shift wasn’t isolated from work I’ve been doing in therapy for years. But I guess that’s my point. There’s so much that we don’t see on an everyday, zoomed-in level that can reveal itself in a moment to be radically different than how things have been, maybe for a very long time.
I’m starting to have a very basic understanding of how quantum physics supports this idea of an ever-changing, dynamic reality, the illusion of time and our ability to affect and shape reality. I don’t feel like I can put this understanding into more developed thoughts or words right now, but I imagine this will evolve as my understanding grows.
Regardless, this awareness gives me hope. There’s so much happening in the world right now that brings me grief, horror, outrage and a sense of helplessness.
And there’s also goodness. There are good people working really hard. There’s an invitation to decide at a cellular level what we, as human beings living right now in 2025, want for our children and our world, and what we’re willing to do to achieve that.
For me, all of this also points to how accessible the Holy is. God is not out there, some unachievable state or unknowable being in the sky. Holy, God, Divine, Universe, Love, Life - I use these terms interchangeably with intention because they mean different things to different people. Life and that which sustains Life is within each of us. It’s in our communities. It’s in our songs. It’s in our prayers. It’s in our compassionate action. It’s in THIS breath.
Nowhere do I feel more certain of the existence of a benevolent life force beyond that which we can control or understand than in the forest – especially at this time of year! Life is literally bursting from the Earth in the form of flowers, plants, trees, insects, animals and birds. The abundant life force energy of the earth growing up through a forest is astounding and brings me to my knees with wonder.
To celebrate Mother’s Day last weekend, my family went into the forest to harvest ramp leaves. Tiyas greeted the trees we walked past. The last of the ephemeral wild flowers along the trail waved as we passed. The bursting morning bird song filled my heart as I gave thanks for this dream come true, motherhood and raising my family with this precious Place. I gave thanks for the eternal maternal love from my mother, grandmothers, ancestors, and Earth. I gave thanks for another day and another opportunity to abandon illusions for that which is infinitely accessible: ever-changing, ever-expanding being.
Today, I give thanks for the helpful reminder on the Subaru passenger side mirror to remind me that all that I desire, for myself and for the world, is closer than it appears.