I’ve been so lost in work and school that I had no time or space to post here. Perhaps I can get back to doing that in this short school break. We all went on a hike. Biggest flower I’ve ever seen in the wild.
The challenge this year is to see the beauty in myself and others and to record it each day. Today I was blessed by a local TV news reporter that has a weekly show called Eric’s Heroes that highlights the good that ordinary folks do–tonight a host of a pageant for special needs girls which she started when she was 15-years-old. It is so important to remember how much good there still is in the world.
Yesterday I forgot to give my beauty spot–the little boy who lay down behind his father’s car to stop his dad from running over a worm that has washed onto the driveway. It is the little things we do more than the big accomplishments that shape our world for good.
This year for the advent Kimberly focused our attention on spotting everyday beauty. As we shared these, she found pictures to illustrate each, ordering a set to arrange into a memory book. We looked through them today, and I was reminded of one thing that I had already forgotten: a perspective she shared with me that moved me from frustration at an author to one of understanding and appreciation. She did this while supporting my view, not arguing against it, but expanding it. That is the kind of touch of grace I want to remember. I suggested we choose “Memorial” as the word to spiritually focus our year because we so easily forget the good.
Took the dogs for a long walk in the snow. It was beautiful.
I took my dogs to the Blue Ridge Parkway today for a walk. 2 Miles up the road, a gate blocked our way because of potential (?) bad weather (it was freezing and overcast). What could have been a disappointment ended up a delight since we were able to walk on the Parkway, which we can never do because of traffic. Within an hour the sun came out and the clouds blew away for the rest of the afternoon. I’ve driven this stretch scores of times, but have missed so much when in the car. Even the asphalt sparkled, reflecting back the sun in thousands of individual sand crystals, like the Milky Way at our feet. A million bare branches turned white in the light stood out against the dark of the forest, a vast, intricate, silver web. It was a beautiful walk.
It seems to me that truth and beauty fill the world up with their lavish presence. There is always more to see, to learn, to take into our hearts and minds and be transformed by. I only wish I could take more of it in.
Late afternoon and evening is my favorite time of day. As I came back from walking my dogs today, the sun had set, leaving a glow in the west, but I was startled to see a large orange orb glowing like a neon sign tucked in the fold between two mountains. The full moon was beautiful.
I am sitting ensconced in a pile of books I bought myself from Goodwill for my birthday. I like books!
I walk passed a gray barn owl today, not 20 feet away on a low branch, its head swiveling to watch me warily. The day was beautiful–crisp air, full sun, baby blue sky, no sound but the soft rustle of leaves. The sun was going to bed, but he kept the lights on till we finished our walk.
Joy Spotting 