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Heartwings Love Notes 981 - Accidental Beauty

Heartwings says, "When we open our eyes to it, there is beauty everywhere to see."

As a child I was drawn to bright colors and pretty images. I disliked hurtful humor and stories of sad or unfortunate people, even if they somehow turned things around for themselves. My eyes are and have always drawn to what sparkles or twinkles, my ears to pretty and uplifting music, now preferably classical. To me this predilection is a gift, and I am very grateful for it. What seems to me to be most interesting is how there is beauty around every corner and even in every situation, if you look for it.

Recently I was in our local thrift store, appropriately named Treasures, when something caught my eye: The sun shone on a row of glassware on a series of shelves against the wall of the shop. I stopped and gazed at the row of sparkling glass. It was breathtaking. I brought up the camera on my cellphone and took a picture. Later when I brought my picture up to look at, I realized the camera hadn't captured the beauty that my eyes had perceived. I have had this experience before. Perhaps when we really look with our eyes, we see things with more dimension.

Accidental beauty radiates unbidden all around us. Though we may not see it there is beauty to be seen that may easily go unnoticed. If my mind is preoccupied with anticipatory thoughts or apprehensions; if I am worried about what I ought to remember or concerned over some nameless condition, I may fail to actually look out of my eyes. Even though my eyes are focused on something, I may not see it! Case in point: Have you ever looked for something without finding it, only to discover it where you had already looked perhaps even several times?

Beauty often cloaks itself in ordinariness. Dewdrops or even raindrops that glisten in the sun shining on blades of grass may make miniature rainbows that can be seen only when we look closely. Dandelions that glow like little suns can delight the eye that sees them not as weeds but as accidental beauty. A smile that lights up a friend's face, the sound of someone playing an instrument by an open window, the smell of something tasty cooking or baking, all may go unnoticed if we do not pay attention.

When I am present in the moment, allowing myself to really be present, I will more easily see or hear what is there to be seen or heard. If I actively seek to see the beauty that exists everywhere for those who pay attention, I will find much to delight me. Yes there is ugliness in our surroundings, and frowns are as easily perceived as smiles, yet we can anticipate what is pleasant as easily as the opposite. I once met a woman who told me she always anticipated the worst because then she could never be disappointed. I found this to be sad. However, whatever floats your boat, as Oprah used to say, is what works best for you. The real gift is being able to choose what to look for and where to look.

May you cultivate your sense of where to look and find beauty everywhere.

Do you find loveliness in your surroundings? Do you have eyes for beauty and find it frequently? Please share your feelings and your experiences, I appreciate your emails more than I can say. Please write to me at Tashahal@aol.com, and for more love notes, try my web pages at www.heartwingsandfriends.com
 

I love to hear from readers and would be honored if you would comment and let me know any suggestions or thoughts. If a friend sent you this, you can sign up at my web site, www.heartwingslovenotes.com, where more love notes can be found in the archives.

Blessings and Best Regards,
Tasha Halpert
 

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