Tuesday night, Steve and I had just started our evening walk. Since my photographer’s eye is always on the lookout for beauty, I immediately noticed how the sun was seeping through the trees and making everything in its path gloriously radiant.
I said, “Oh, look how luminous the light is right now!”
Steve replied, “Well, we can go back and get your camera, if you’d like.”
I thought about that for a moment and then replied, “No. By the time we got back, the light would be completely different and the moment would be gone.”
And then I added, “Sometimes I just need to learn to enjoy the beauty that is right in front of me, instead of always trying to capture it to be enjoyed later.”
Not always easy advice for an addicted-to-Nikon photographer to follow!
As I’ve been thinking about this over the past couple of days, I have been reminded that there is beauty around all of us, whether we are strolling along a path at sunset or working at a desk in an office building. It’s the noticing of the beauty that can be the challenge. Sometimes beauty comes along that is so obvious that we can’t overlook it. And other times beauty comes along that can be easily obscured by the ordinary if we aren’t on the lookout for it.
As an example, Steve and I were sorting our stuff at the recycling center recently when I noticed that we were standing on a ground glass parking lot. The sun, shining so brightly that day, was turning those pieces of ground up glass into diamonds—thousands of glittering diamonds. I was surrounded by stinky, empty cans and odoriferous plastic milk jugs and still, in the middle of it all, I stood entranced by the sight of the sun turning something that had been discarded into something that was beautiful.
If I can find beauty at a recycling center, I know you can find beauty wherever you are.
So would you mind doing me (and all of us) a small favor? Take a look around you, wherever you are sitting, and tell me what simple, ordinary thing you see that is beautiful.
When you find it, share it in the comments. I have a feeling we can all use an extra glimpse of beauty in our lives today.
This is a photo I took on another evening walk when I DID have my camera along.
I am in front of my computer, with a bowl of oatmeal. Bright berries stirred in give much color. My ordinary computer screen holds so much beauty to me. It connects me with my children and extended family, who are currently scattered around the country. I often look through the pictures I snap on my phone, and I send some out to them. I love capturing the interesting and ordinary sights of my life, to share with them. I’m like you, Becky. Sometimes I have to remind myself to enjoy the sights without capturing on film or phone!
Thanks for the reminder. There is so much beauty in this world, everywhere. We just need to take the time to look.
Ann,
I love that you found beauty in the berries stirred it into your oatmeal. Thanks for taking the time to look for the beauty and share the beauty.
Your thing about the “evening luminous light”… is what I wait for each day. Hard to describe the depth of how precious this is; like intimate worship to the Lord for all the glimpses of heaven He put on this earth. It transforms every thing it touches with an surreal holiness. I think of how God came and walked with Adam and Eve in the garden at twilight; and there is something sacred about this time, especially when the glow is present. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, what God has prepared”… but for now I am quite content to just look at that light and worship. Ruth
Spelling error– “a” surreal holiness!
Ruth,
Your words are always written so beautifully. I too love it when the “glow is present.” Such an easy thing to overlook in the busyness of a day but always worth standing still for and noticing.
I should have specified: those weed daisies grow wild everywhere in & around Pickens, SC…I’m SURE not everywhere.
I picked some of those weed daisies that grow everywhere. I can appreciate weeds if they bloom pretty enough!
Angie,
Beauty in weeds. What a lovely thought!
Beauty. Right now? Exactly now? That’s a tough assignment. My eyes are tired. Ha! I take it you mean visual beauty, as in what my eyes are seeing at this moment. It’s 2:35 am, I just got home from my nursing shift, sitting on the couch after a shower and scrambled eggs.
OK, I am looking around….alright……I spy a small little lamp nearby that beams soft yellow light through its panels of glass decorated with butterflies. And I am noticing what happens when this light passes by their pinks, greens and blues: the colors have splashed onto the white wall behind the lamp, spraying a fan of pastels up toward the ceiling. Very pretty.
How’d I do?
Lesley,
That is one of the things I LOVE to notice–the pattern of light on walls, whether it be sunlight or lamplight. You did GREAT! 🙂
And I’m impressed that you would even take the time to read the blog and leave a thoughtful comment at 2:35 a.m. Thank you!
I enjoy standing at the kitchen window watching the birds at the bird feeders. I have tried going out every door possible to take pictures but most are gone by the time I get where it is possible. I did get one bird yesterday but the other five flew away. Got one picture a couple of days ago with the tail feathers of one bird around the bird feeder. Will post on Facebook later whenever I get them downloaded. Love looking at beautiful sunsets.
Ann,
Birds and sunsets–two lovely things definitely worth noticing! Glad you got at least one picture of the bird you were watching.
I actually got of a picture of it…I think I’ll post it on FB and tag you so you can see it. I live in an apartment complex. Across the street is a large shopping plaza. To the left as I look out my living room window is a very busy street that runs all the way from downtown Portland to another very busy street filled with shopping plazas. The hospital is on this street, so there are ambulances passing throughout the day. (I’m asleep at night, but I’m pretty sure they pass then, too.;) But straight out my window is a green space, possibly 50 feet deep…then a creek, then another large apartment complex. And today I saw a deer! There’s a trail between my building and the green space…people walking there throughout the day, usually with dogs. But the maintenance man was here when we saw it, and he said there are four or five deer that show up most days. Absolute beauty in the midst of a large metropolitan setting.
Jan,
That would be fun to see a picture of something inspired by a Smithellaneous comment!
How lovely that you can look out of a city apartment and see green space and deer, to boot! Enjoy your own special, Portland-eqsue view of beauty.
Walking into the clinic with cells for an infusion, and seeing the brightest smile from someone going through Chemo… that is one of the most beautiful sights ever, and never fails to make me appreciate my health, and children’s health, and say and extra prayer for that beautiful bald lady!!!
Tiffany,
You truly do have a chance to see many kinds of beauty in the people around you who smile through their suffering. I can’t think of many kinds of beauty any better than that.
My sweet daughter Sarah!! Whose gonna be 18 in October!! Yes time fies!! Love her so much!!
Catherine,
How sweet that you think of your daughter when you think of beauty. She is truly a lovely young lady. Happy (early) 18th to her!
It has to be the picture of hubby and I with our four grandchildren just last weekend!! Four normal, healthy and adorable children between the ages of 25 months and 3 weeks. Truly a beautiful sight!! 🙂
(The nest most beautiful thing in my office right here is the wall calendar with a tropical picture….palm trees, water, sunset and beach. Oh my goodness.)
LeeAnne,
Four grandchildren under the age of two? Oh my! Plenty of love and giggles and happy chaos to go around. Such a blessing.
I see the pictures of my 3 precious grandchildren, and my own 3 children’s graduation pictures. Also, I have a big bouquet of freshly cut lilacs on the table that are beautiful and smell heavenly. What a good challenge you gave us for today. Thanks!
Wendy,
Children, grandchildren and freshly cut lilacs. I think you got yourself a triple dose of all things beautiful!
My husband got to help with Veterans’ Fishing Day a couple of weeks ago and I was able to stop by the pond for a little while. The look on the face of the 86-year-old in his wheelchair as he caught his umpteenth fish of the day was a mighty beautiful sight!
Jenny,
What a cool thing for your husband to help with! I can just picture the look on that man’s face as he caught yet another fish. I have a feeling it probably had a hint of little boyishness in it. Nothing like fishing to take an old man back to the day of his childhood and his first fish caught. A beautiful scene, indeed.
the most beautiful things I can see as I sit her at my desk at work are my family pictures. my nephew in a jeep in Afghanistan (now back on American soil- Praise God), my sweet grandchildren – all five and with each pix a memory in my mind of what was going on the day the photos were taken and my God Bless America banner- PLUS a chocolate candy bar that was here when I arrived – I have great coworkers…..
Becky,
So glad your nephew is safely back on American soil. And the other things on your Beauty List–the grand kids, the banner, the chocolate–are wonderful examples of how beauty is found in the simplest things.
I have to mention the beauty I saw out my work window yesterday, I saw an older gentleman who had lost his cargo, it had fallen off the back of his pickup onto the road. A man, who I had guessed to be in his 20’s, stopped and reloaded the pickup for him and when he was done a handshake took place and they went their separate ways. It moved me to see the kindness of that young man and also the simple handshake of thanks! I will call it human beauty. My beauty today are the pictures of my kids on my desk! 🙂 Love them to pieces.
Kathy,
Human beauty. Such a lovely phrase.
What a wonderful story of that young man taking time out of his day to help, with no promise of pay or reward. The handshake and the good feeling he must have had when he went on his way was payment enough. The beauty of being a neighbor to someone in need is incredible.
I am seeing beauty in the two vases of roses on my kitchen cabinet that I cut from my roses bushes out front. I am also seeing beauty in my home where I am turning things loose that I do not need (better known as uncluttering). Keep your camera with you so you can capture the moments, such as yesterday evening!
Lib,
Uncluttering is a beautiful thing to do, isn’t it? I try to stay in a permanent decluttering mindset; it is a beautiful thing to see space appear where there used to be clutter.
And how fortunate you are to have rose bushes–few things more beautiful in all of God’s creation.
I am sitting at my desk at work I see beauty in the pictures of my great nephews, and grand sons. I have beautiful co-workers sitting next to me who care for and love me for me. Can’t get any better than that!
Marjie,
People who “love you for you.” What a great description. There is truly beauty in those kinds of relationships.
And pictures on your desk of people you love represent plenty of heart beauty, too.
I know what you mean about the camera. I also am a Nikon fan. Sometimes it isolates us from the experience we are trying to capture.
Karen,
Cameras are so wonderful for capturing beauty but as you said, they can also be isolating. Always working at finding a good balance with all of that.
I see a geranium bloom in my window sill and the morning sun shining through the new spring leaves on the trees across the street and a wall full of photos of people who mean the world to me.
Karen,
I love morning sun shining through anything but when it shines through leaves on a tree, well, that is one of the most beautiful sights there is.
The picture of my now 10 year old when she was 1 month old!
Sandra,
What a precious, beautiful picture that is!
Just looked out one of our office windows and saw a beautiful sight. The sun has cast a reflection of the dome of the Old Courthouse (where the Dred Scott Decision was handed down) and flagpole with the flag fluttering onto the side of the office building across from my building. The reflection is wonderful. If your eye wanders a bit southwest of that – there is Busch Stadium that was alive with Cardinal baseball fans last night but only basked in sunlight off the red seats now. A little northeast and there is the Mississippi River – a little muddy that big river is – but sunlight is making it beautiful. These are sights I glance at every single day I am here – I am happy I took my friend’s advice and stopped and looked and enjoyed the views around me.
Mary,
Sounds like you have a fabulous place to work, surrounded by so many various kinds of beauty and interesting things to look at. I’d love to take a peek out of your window one day!
Thanks for the challenge. I see the beauty in a picture on my desk. Two pictures, actually. Side by side. Both taken at the same place about 12 years apart. They are of my kids holding their fish they caught in the mountains on vacation. The first one they were 3 and 5 years old. So excited about catching those fish. The other is when they were 15 and 17 years old. Standing in the same place holding fish they had caught. We are very blessed that at 15 and 17 they still wanted to go on vacation with us. Even now at 21 and 23 years old, they still go with us.
Julie,
I love the idea of taking pictures in the same spot but several years apart. What a fun way to celebrate the changes and remember the thing that doesn’t change–your love for each other. Beautiful. Truly.