While having breakfast with my wife the other morning, we were looking out the window, and one of us commented on how summer is slowly turning into fall. The thought that the fall leaves with their beautiful and varied colors would soon grace our eyes is something we always look forward to. Then the leaves vacate the branches and things look rather barren for a while. That is the time when we have to search for beauty. As I thought about that concept of searching for beauty, I realized that there is beauty in most everything. Mark Twain said that, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” If we do not see beauty in some things, we must look for their uniqueness, for therein lies their beauty, one’s imagination isn’t necessary. Where we have lost the ability to see beauty, then we need to retrain our senses because they have become numb to the detail of life and living.
As children we were curious about most everything and found joy in and could spend hours feeling of and looking at a small rock that we picked up off the ground. There are those who, most of their lives, maintain that wonderful and habitual curiosity and seem to enjoy and appreciate all things around them, things that seem dull drum to the rest of us, the things that we walk right past without allowing them even the slightest glance, even though they may be in our direct way.
Probably the most beautiful and unique subjects in the universe are people because they were created in the image of God. Each transitional stage of development has its unique beauty. From a small baby with their ultra fine hair, bright eyes and chubby little limbs to one just starting to waddle and tripping over their own feet. If it has been years since your own children were as described above, the nostalgia of those times can bring tears to your eyes. Youth, so full of energy and quick minds, are beautiful to observe as they are constantly testing their skills physically, mentally and socially. Young adults emerge handsome and beautiful as they attract one another for mating to start their own families. Maturity begins transforming them into confident adults who are the backbone of our society, those who provide a living for their new families. Seniors with their graying hair and wrinkles depict wisdom and longevity. When you look carefully into the face of the elderly you will find another kind of beauty. Each phase of our life brings a new and different kind of beauty.
When we fail to see the beauty in each phase of life we need to evaluate ourselves and what we have thought was important. We may have overlooked the most obvious source of beauty, the most plenteous and joyful beauty available to us.
Animals are not only entertaining, but they are beautiful as well. We have a little Pomeranian dog that is getting relatively old at twelve years of age. When she jumps into my lap to get some loving, she will look into my face and I hers and I see beauty. She, like humans, is also turning grey. Her once pretty tan and light brown facial hair is becoming light (grey) even though she is just as pretty.
In nature, regardless of the season, there is beauty. I wrote once about our creator being an artist and described the beauty of each and every season. Where ever we travel on this beautiful planet, regardless of the season, whether it be to a desert, the mountains, the fertile valleys the beautiful water ways and oceans, there you will find beauty. We cannot escape beauty; our lives are full of beauty and beautiful things. Even things that may be regarded as unattractive by some, if looked upon carefully you will find beauty there. If we do not see beauty than we must look more carefully and with a new eye.
There is a story told of a woman who moved to the desolate and somewhat barren part of Arizona. It was a place not considered by most to be a place of beauty. She was bored with nothing to do when she returned home from work, so she decided that she would begin to catalog plants and animals. As she became involved in that process she came to realize how beautiful her area really was. It was different than the beauty of her previous home but nevertheless beautiful. May God bless to be able to find beauty in all things.