It's everywhere. We see it in the change of seasons. We hold it in memory. There are examples of beauty as tiny as a spider web and as huge as the winking night sky. Finding beauty requires only seeking it out and being open to awe.
Beauty can be found outside and inside of us. We can literally see beauty, touch it, taste it, hear it, feel it, and remember it. Beauty can thrill any or all of our senses to take us out of complacency and into ecstasy. It has the quality of surprise: the sighting of a rainbow; the trill of a bird's song; the scent of bread in the oven, and the luxurious touch of velvet.
Taste has its own kind of beauty. Recall a favorite treat and saliva flows with anticipation: the juicy sweetness of watermelon; the coldness of ice cream melting on warm taste receptors; the rich flavor of hearty soup; pop bubbles tickling your tongue; and if you enjoy chocolate, there’s a special beauty to its melt-in-the mouth feel — live or remembered.
Sounds evoke beauty: the soaring ecstasy of a violin concerto; the splash of children’s laughter; even the chime of a welcome text. And we can’t forget the beauty of sensations like the tenderness of a hug; or the simple satisfaction of completing a task.
There are recurring gifts of beauty. Each time I drive along the road to my home I ready myself for the view. As I round the turn I inhale with expectation, pause all thoughts, absorb the sight, and exhale with gratitude and the words, "I love this place."
There’s a cliché that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yes, that’s true, but there’s a bonus for including even unorthodox ideas of beauty — the more we include, the more joy we accrue.
Beauty surrounds us, so be greedy. Gobble up every beautiful sight, sound, taste, and sensation. Interrupt long waits, dark thoughts, repetitive projects, and moments of boredom with new or remembered instances of beauty.
“Beauty is reality seen with the eyes of love.” — Evelyn Underhill
It's easy to take life for granted — to walk similar paths every day and lost in thought, to ignore the nuances here to delight us.
Beauty brings us heart-opening pleasure and peace.
Find beauty in this moment.
Feel that?
Awesome!!