Seeing Beauty Everywhere

Everything has beauty,

but not everyone sees it.

                 Confucius

At this time of year, we pause our daily routines for celebration and remembrance of the deeper meaning of our lives. We decorate our homes and play seasonal music, creating an atmosphere of joy and beauty.

As we go out in the world around us, we see the results of the efforts of others to celebrate with lights and decorations on their homes and in their businesses. We seem to have a natural inclination to create beauty as part of our celebration of life. Beauty gives us joy, and it is also an expression of our joy.

It’s easy to see beauty when it’s right in front of us making a clear statement that today is special. But how easily do we see the beauty in our ordinary, daily lives?

Beauty is everywhere.

You only have to look to see it.

                    Bob Ross

We get so caught up in the routines of our lives that we don’t take the time to notice the beauty all around us.

I remember, over 40 years ago, walking one morning with my daughter, Christie, in a stroller. I stopped in front of a yard with a single flower in full bloom right by the street. Christie’s face lit up with a big smile as she looked at me and pointed to the flower. I had walked past that flower during my early morning walk, and I had not noticed it. With my head full of plans for the day, I had missed the gift in front of me.

How often do we forget to be present in the moments of our lives, to look around us and see what beauty is surrounding us?

Do we believe that beauty is everywhere – or is that just in the imagination of a dreamer who is disconnected from real life?

I can’t answer that question for you, but I began looking for my own answer – and what I discovered surprised me.

As I began noticing, I realized that I had been living disconnected from my world with my lack of attention. I went through my days living in my head, and I missed so many of the gifts that the world offered me.

As I learned to become more present, especially while walking, I saw beauty all around me, often in the little things that I had taken for granted – the pattern of colored leaves on the ground, the play of light and shadow across a building, the beautiful symmetry of the limbs and branches of a maple tree in winter, and the equally beautiful lack of symmetry of a weeping cherry tree, whose limbs seemed to have minds of their own.

The more I became enchanted with the world around me, the more it revealed its beauty to me.

I began to feel deep gratitude for the little things that I now noticed, and it enriched my life in unexpected ways.

Over time, I began seeing beauty in other people I encountered during my day. As I developed the habit of smiling as we approached each other, they often responded in kind, and then, for a moment, we shared the quiet joy of connection. It didn’t matter who they were or how they looked – a shopper in a store or a homeless person on the street. The acknowledgement of a smile has magic in it.

Beauty surrounds us, and it also exists inside us. We are in charge of how much we let in and how much we are willing to share with others. That choice has an impact on the quality of our lives.

Our wish for you is that your life is filled with beauty and the joy that comes from it.

As part of this season of celebration, we invite you to watch this short video. We were enthralled by the beauty it revealed to us.

Nutcracker Xmas Flowers 2021

What are your thoughts?  Please leave a comment below.

Click here if you would like to receive a weekly email with links to our current posts.

Help us spread the message of kindness. If you know others who might appreciate these ideas, please share below.

We’re grateful that you are on this journey with us.

With love from our hearts to yours,

Pat and Larry