For those that know me, this duty location has been the most difficult transition for me. I am not a fan of the area in which I live – I find it too crowded, too busy/fast-paced, drivers in this area aggressive and rude, and neighbors living a completely frenetic lifestyle because of the fast-pace and exorbitant costs.
While I will concede I have found a niche that suits me, I continuously find myself battling my internal struggle with this duty location. There have been steps forward, and then what feels like setbacks along the way.
The other day, when raking my yard, I realized that something I struggle with the most is finding the beauty in the “little things,” that are in my path. It’s not because I don’t want to see the beauty, it’s simply I get too wrapped up in the pace of life to realize there is still beauty, even in the most miserable of places.
That beauty might be a natural one (i.e. flowers, leaves turning colors in the changing season, the sun sparkling on the endless ocean from the shoreline) or man-made (i.e. a skyline view of a city glistening in the sun, or a neat architectural feature). Everyday beauty can also be found in God-made moments (i.e. watching toddlers play or having someone give you an unexpected compliment).
The difficult part is recognizing the moments of beauty in our day. When we lived in Hawaii, I was often struck by the amazing views that God put in my path. It was easy to recognize, and I would quickly find myself taking a breath and saying a quick prayer of thanksgiving for experiencing such beauty in its natural setting. I asked a friend, who was a native to Hawaii, if she was ever struck by the beauty the way I was, especially since I wasn’t used to seeing the beauty day in and day out. She acknowledged that, while there were times as a teenager she would take it for granted, she was always struck by that natural beauty and missed it whenever she was away from her beloved home.
The last couple days I have been on a mission to recognize the “little things” in my day – those moments of beauty that God may be putting in my path. While raking, I was struck by the beauty of a flower in our backyard. Something so simple, and yet, it took my breath away – and, not because I was exhausted from raking. 🙂 The beauty of the simple flower caused me to stop, take a moment to breathe, and simply take in the beauty. That one little flower was the reminder I needed to give to myself, and perhaps to my readers – no matter what is going on, there is beauty in the little things, and the beauty is there to be found, if we are open to looking.
When have you encountered beauty in an area you were least expecting?