I don’t remember where I first heard it, but there’s a simple question that says a lot about how we see the world:
“Is the dog smiling?”
At first, it seems like an easy question. Of course the dog is smiling—look at him. His tail is wagging, his body is moving with excitement, and his whole presence feels joyful.
But then comes the deeper thought: dogs don’t smile the way humans do. They don’t use facial expressions in the same way we interpret them. So how do we decide if the dog is smiling?
The truth is, we are often interpreting more than observing. We are assigning meaning through our own lens.
Some would say you can’t really know. The tail wags, the body sways, the same movements can happen in excitement, nervousness, or anticipation. Yet we choose what we see.
And maybe that’s the point.
Life often asks us the same question.
Is this moment good or bad? Is this person for me or against me? Is this setback punishment or redirection?
Much of life depends on how we see it.
The old phrase, “Is the glass half full or half empty?” lives here. Awareness teaches us that perspective shapes experience. When we live unconsciously, we react to life through fear, assumption, and old wounds. But when we practice presence, we begin to notice something else—there is far more love, grace, and beauty around us than we first realized.
Maybe the dog is smiling.
Or maybe the better question is: Are you willing to see joy?
Because often, what we find in life is less about what is there, and more about what we are prepared to notice.
Scripture
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
— Philippians 4:8
This scripture reminds us that where we place our attention matters. What we choose to focus on shapes the life we experience. God calls us not to deny hardship, but to train our hearts to recognize goodness, beauty, and His presence even within it.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
Help me to see with clearer eyes.
Teach me not to be ruled by fear, assumption, or negativity, but to notice Your goodness in the ordinary moments of life.
Let me find joy where I once saw burden, peace where I once felt resistance, and love where I once expected distance.
Give me the awareness to recognize Your presence all around me.
May I choose gratitude, choose faith, and choose to believe that even now, there is beauty in front of me.
Amen.
