Unexpected Intrusions of Beauty

"One cannot judge the beauty of a path merely by looking at it's entrance."  Paul Coelho

One of my favorite scents in the smell of a pine forest.  Maybe it's because I grew up exploring them in Colorado.  I don't know.  But I can still close my eyes and pull up the memory of that smell-- the crisp pine needle scent, the sharp, clean air, and the quiet sound of a gently breeze.  Can you sense it?  My whole body just relaxes with just the thought of that forest.

Fall is a busy time.  Kids go back to school.  The holidays are looming.  Change is in the air.  And with all of this running around and change from the summer routine, we often get tense.  We are rushing through the day just trying to get everything accomplished before we crawl into bed exhausted.  The path we are walking on may seem like it's at a very steep grade, and we are winded and weary from trying to make forward progress. We all need a break.

"When you look at a field of dandelions you can either see a hundred weeds or a hundred wishes."

"Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy."  Anne Frank

"We never notice the beauty because we are too busy trying to create it."

So, lets take a little break today.  Let's stop for a minute and take a look around.  Close your eyes and take a deep breath.  Now open them and look around with fresh eyes.  Do not focus on how rocky the path is or how steep.  Believe me, we all spend more than enough time focusing on these things.  Instead, today, at this moment-- look for the things of beauty all around you-- the things that are just to the side of the path.  Look at what you have to be grateful for.  Those people who are the tall trees in your life that provide you with shelter and shade alongside the path you travel. Breathe in the life giving Spirit of God-- spend some time just inhaling and exhaling the goodness and blessings that God gives you.  Look at many shades of green around you--let it remind you of the differences in those who surround you.  But instead of focusing on the differences, focus on how   the differences in coloration combine to make your surroundings beautiful.  Look at all the saplings and small plants that cover the ground.  These represent future hope--you can see the promise of the tall spruce tree encompassed in that small sapling.

Make sure you quiet yourself and listen.  Listen to the sounds of others around you and take delight in them.  The almost magical sound of your child's laughter.  My favorite sound in all of life is the sound of my son when he does a true belly laugh-- nothing is better than that sound.  Listen to the sound of the small stream running close to your path.  It took many tears to make this stream, and there will be more tears added along the way.  But for today, we are going to look at the beauty created from all of those tears, and be grateful that something good can come out of sorrow.  Look backwards down the path and be encouraged by how far you've come.  Look forward up the path and be excited by the adventure yet to come.

"Unexpected intrusions of beauty.  This is what life is."

"When you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing."

I'll bet you would have never guessed what your path was going to look like when you stood at the entrance and tried to peer down to see where you were going to go.  You see, this path of life isn't always covered in the type of beauty that is easily recognizable.  Instead, life's pathways seem to  be made up with rocky paths that are filled with unexpected intrusions of beauty.  You just have to look for them. Beauty can be found in just one smile, one small quiet moment of peace,  one small encouraging word.  I often find that the small flowers in life often  contain more beauty (and more fragrance) than the big showy roses.

So today, if you find yourself walking your path and all you can see is rocks and obstacles I challenge you to stop.  Look again with eyes that are searching for beauty.  And even if the only beautiful thing you find is one dandelion bloom… focus on that. And be grateful for it.  For that one bloom contains the opportunity for one hundred wishes and dreams fulfilled.

I know that today's blog was a little "out there"  or off the beaten path (haha).  But we all need to live in hope and gratitude more often.  It is refreshing to the body, mind and soul.  So, take the time to look for opportunities to be grateful today.

""I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord: be strong and take heart."  Psalm 27:13-14

I'll leave you with a few photo's of some paths I walked in Alaska.