Appreciate Your Mona Lisa Moments—Mar. 9
SAGe (Self-Actualized Genius)—Learn More
March 9, 2025
Sunday SAGe Newsletter Volume 25: Appreciate Your Mona Lisa Moments
Happy Sunday!
Here is this week’s installment of Sunday SAGe, an email communication that shares wellness inspiration from The Wellness Ethic to help people thrive during the coming week (and beyond!).
This week, we’ll cover the moments in your life that may seem ordinary on the surface but are quite extraordinary if you engage your senses. In my upcoming book The Wellness Ethic, I call them your Mona Lisa moments.
Appreciate Your Mona Lisa Moments
An excerpt from The Wellness Ethic:
When I saw the Mona Lisa in person years ago at the Louvre, I was taken aback by the alluring beauty of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting. There had been so much hype about the masterpiece that I almost expected it to be a tourist trap—you see the artwork, check the box that you saw it, take the obligatory selfie, and then move on. But that wasn’t my experience. Like millions before me, I was mesmerized by the mystery of her expression and how she flowed seamlessly into the distant countryside. I thought about Leonardo’s Renaissance genius and was thrilled to experience his immortal gift firsthand.
As I think about my enchanting visit to the Louvre, I’m struck by the notion that I encounter at least a dozen Mona Lisa moments each day if I’m open to such experiences. They’re experiences that can entrance my senses, fill my heart with love, and make me appreciate being alive.
What It Means
To illustrate this concept, I’ll share examples of my everyday Mona Lisa moments:
My wife and I live in a house with a wooded backyard. A stray cat, whom I named Christopher McFluffer (he looked like a McFluffer), appeared one day and demanded that we become his caregiver. He wasn’t willing to negotiate. So we feed him every morning and evening. We have no choice—he’ll stare at us through our windows with needy eyes until we do so. He now hangs out on our his stone patio throughout the day, basking in the sun, safe from predators. If we travel overnight, we arrange for a cat sitter to tend to him. We’re lucky to have an opportunity to make a difference in the life of a stray cat. It brings us joy.
When my wife and I moved to South Carolina, we visited art galleries in downtown Charleston. It was a sensory explosion that hooked me. I’ve been fortunate to purchase several paintings from gifted artists. Each day, the paintings fill my spirit with inspiration.
During my early morning walks around my neighborhood, depending upon the time I leave, I may experience a gorgeous sunrise, deer stampeding in front of me, a full moon illuminating the night, terrified toads hopping out of the way of my duck-like feet, or even a water moccasin on a sidewalk daring me to come just a wee bit closer. I love nature, except nature that injects venom into human bloodstreams.
Your Call to Action
Each moment in your life can be a Mona Lisa moment if you appreciate what the universe offers you and mindfully engage your senses. Doing so helps you feel love in the present. What are your Mona Lisa moments?
Have an extraordinary week!
