“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” We undoubtedly have unique lenses that we view the world through and we feel the gravitational pull towards different people and objects.The enormity of our world allows for so much pleasure and opportunity to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.
Unfortunately, too often the pace that we take doesn’t allow for us to fully appreciate what’s right in front of us. There is something about slowing down and taking it all in, when we allow our eyes to settle on an object and see it in its true essence. The slowing down and intensifying of our gaze, allows the senses to sharpen. Colors become more vivid and textures more dramatic. And we haven’t even begun to talk about the other senses. Yes, beauty takes on many forms.
In a time that for most has become increasingly stressful, it is restorative to ground ourselves in beauty. When was the last time you found yourself immersed in a moment? When time just stood still?
The amount of beauty we could witness would greatly be increased if we each became an observer.
I’d like to encourage you to indulge in sensory experiences. Stir the slumber of your inner observer. Notice how the world opens. Just observe.
In the past few months, many of us have had more time at home. Our yearning to expand our time out in nature has greatly increased. We are again, feeling connected to the Earth. The symphony of birds singing seems like a backstage pass to the divine. The perfume of lavender and hydrangeas dances through the air as the breeze cools sun kissed skin. The red, sweet juice of ripe tomatoes enlivens the taste buds. The beauty is bountiful.
All of this beauty and it’s sweet release is accessible to each of us. In its awe, we can feel the lightness, the load is lifted. We are renewed and inspired. We are creative beings searching for greater expression and opportunities for deeper connection.
All of this beauty is mirrored in community. It’s the relationships that we hold that give us the same heightened experiences. Life becomes more joyful when shared. There is so much beauty, so much rapture, in coming together. People need people.
It’s in moments of breaking bread together, diving into meaningful conversations, or belly laughing over shared memories that we lose ourselves in beauty. We feel whole and alive.
Our focus becomes magnetic. My hope is that you seek beauty. You pursue it with every ounce of energy you can spend only to find in its achievement it fills you beyond.
By: Stacie Anderson