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| Photo from State Rhode Island Division of Parks and Recreation, wwwriparks.com |
She captured
a photo of the entrance to Lincoln Woods Park in Rhode Island, similar to the
one seen here. A light morning mist enveloped the covered bridge, wrapping it
in both a welcoming invitation and a cautious mystery. She described how she
and her dogs were nearing one of their favorite places to explore, which was a
daily ritual in their world. Daily morning walks were often punctuated by
ethereal photographs posted for her friends, making one wonder where on earth
this enchanted world existed, this world where she lived. Whether the day’s
exploration was along a beach or a wooded path, her dogs walked and played on
the trails that spilled out before them, while she followed along in rapt step.
Each day was remembered with photographs that seemed to record a dreamlike
state and not one of consciousness. It simply could not be real.
But
it was. It is.
After
my friend Elizabeth posted her misty photo of the covered bridge leading to
Lincoln Woods Park, I teased her about living in some enchanted wonderland,
only accessible by magical shoes or an ancient incantation. An outside observer
might, at first glance, be hard pressed to believe that places like these
existed, much less a person who seemed to find these places every day of her
life. Every single day. The over-stressed, over-scheduled, rush-rush person in
our society, of which there are oh-so many (myself included), would likely
brush off the idea of such a world as this even existing, as they dash off to
the next meeting or event or errand in their frayed-at-the-edge lives.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth seems to float through her mornings with a sense of
balance and comfort, as indicated by her morning photographs shared with
friends.
What
is her secret?
Though
I have not spoken with her on this specific topic, over time I believe have
discovered her secret. Likely, had she simply given me the answer, I would have
poo-pooed the idea like so many others, saying something like, “Who has time
for that?!?” But over a year of observing, the answer wrapped around me like a
warm blanket, unassuming and comforting in its quiet presence.
Ready
for it?
She
does not wait for beauty to appear in her life. She sees beauty in everything.
Whether
it is the way the autumn leaves land on the water or the song of a bird sitting
in a tree, she finds something of beauty in each day. Even on the worst days,
something of beauty can be noticed. I am reminded of the massive thunderstorms
we get in my part of the country, and how the morning after a storm, the sky is
as blue and as clear as one could imagine. Even as we clean up the downed limbs
and other destruction from a night of wind and rain, the sky is at its most
beautiful in those moments.
For
many of us, our lives are a push and pull of schedules and responsibilities, a
situation that can easily lead us down the rabbit hole of negativity. Yet, I
challenge you to take one minute each day – or start with 30 seconds – and notice
something beautiful in your life. Put down the phone, step back from the
computer screen, and notice something positive.
I’ll
start with something simple: (1) I like
the dove gray color of the walls in my study where I write this. The color is
soothing. (2) My two dogs are asleep on their quilt on the couch and are curled
up tight against each other. George is snoring slightly. (3) I get to write to
you every week – and sometimes you read it – and sometimes you reply. (4) The
weather is good today so I’ll be able to winterize the yard, spending the day
in the sun and fresh air. (5) The woven illuminated heart hanging over my desk
still amazes me – I made that!
See?
One minute and I got five. They are simple, but they prove to me the existence
of beauty in my life, which can serve to buoy up the bad days when needed.
Go
find the beauty in your day.
:)
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