Beautiful, is a word
that conjures up many meanings for many different people. The definition of the
word means to please the senses or the mind aesthetically. It is something that I have been chasing
since I was a young girl. I have pursued
all things that are beautiful.
I used to be fascinated for hours and hours when I was
little girl sitting in a pile of sand, sorting out the tiny rocks into
different colors. There were pinks,
yellows, reds, crystal clear and even jade green little bitty rocks inside of that
giant pile of sand. Some people might
have looked at the way I spent my time as a waste. Other people might have looked at that pile
of sand and saw just that…sand. I looked
at that mound of petite rocks as an adventure.
When I saw it, I saw the potential for hidden treasure. I saw it as an opportunity to dig
deeper. I absolutely KNEW that inside of
that pile of bland tan gritty mass were little specks of phenomenal
beauty. Sometimes I sat down and found
an agate right away! Other times I had
to search awhile for something pretty, digging and sorting until something
stood out. Then there were times that
there were things that may not seem very striking at all, but rather it was
more of a uniqueness. Perhaps I found rocks
with tiny holes in them, maybe a little fossil or an exceptional shape. There were times I would find tiny pieces of
clay, sometimes deep shades of terra cotta or bright golden yellows. I would then take the time to make the mark
of the clay color on my notebook to remember it by.
Honestly, as I sit here reflecting on myself mining through
the sand for treasure, an immense feeling of peace and calm overwhelms me. I can easily discern that in my often chaotic
childhood that this act of seeking was therapeutic to me. To this day, there is nothing more serene to
me than to sit on a picturesque beach by a lake looking for rocks. Listening to the waves lapping on the shore,
the simple repetitive movement of water brings serenity and finding rocks and
holding them in my hands grounds me. It
is a little known fact that I collect rocks even today. Simply putting these words out there gives me
that same sensation of joy and silence.
I love that I can generate this kind of absolute stillness within myself
by just ruminating about the subject.
So, while pondering on this topic today, I realized how
applicable this search for minute specks of splendor is SO important to our
lives. The ability to see beyond the
surface of the people in our lives is the difference between simply passing
someone by because of their exterior and creating deep and meaningful relationships
with a person as we have taken the time to excavate beyond the surface. Sometimes you sit down with somebody and
right away you find this glimmer and spark inside of them that immediately got your
attention. Other times you have to
burrow a bit a more, take some time, wait and then linger even more before you
find the treasure. Then there are those
moments where it may be hard to find the riches that lie within the person in
front of you. Perhaps this person has
lived a lifetime of painful experiences, perhaps this person is not ready to
reveal that which makes them feel vulnerable.
However, I assure you that it is THERE.
It may be in the form of that rock with holes in it. Their treasure may be the fact that they are
imperfect with the anguish in which they have suffered. Their inner beauty may be the fact that they
have survived, despite the holes.
Conceivably, it could be that their inner gifts may be like that fossil
that has hardened over time. Their
blessings to the world were once alive and vibrant, but over time and
disappointment a shell, tough as nails, formed over the surface. Can we help them dust off those dreams
again? Maybe their treasure is like the
clay, making a mark where ever they go leaving an impression for us to learn
from? There is something. We ALL have SOMETHING.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; however we need to
peel back the layers sometimes to discover it.
Today, may you take that time to really process your surroundings. Find the beauty in the crisp air, the snow,
the sparrows and the frozen water. Also
take the time to dig a little deeper and make some marvelous connections to the
fellow human beings we share our space with.
Look at everyone with new eyes.
See an adventure that you are willing and able to invest in. Your life will be renewed and I can guarantee
you that you will learn a staggering amount about YOURSELF. We have the capacity to not only ignite and
refurbish the flames within someone else, but this act of discovering the
blessings others have to offer will in turn repair our own souls. Like the child in the sandbox searching for
tiny rocks, you will find it rejuvenates you and brings you harmony and
freedom.
I love you all.
Unearth some treasures today.
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