Beauty

Beauty is not defined universally.  It is almost a wholly personal thing, I think.

Sure, there are some things that many of us can agree on - roses, a cherry tree in bloom, the ocean on a beautiful day - but often the things, the scenery, the people that I think are beautiful may mean nothing to someone else.

We all have our own taste, our own experiences, our own lens through which we experience the world.  The meaning we impart to the world, to what we see, often defines whether or not we consider it beautiful.

the most beautiful hummingbirds in the world - I think that because they come and see ME every year...

I was thinking about beauty the other other night when I was sitting reading in my little chair in the corner of my living room.  I looked over into the dining room and seeing my mother's portrait, against the gold-green wall, over the chaise, just seemed achingly beautiful to me. 



look you can even see my ruby slipper...

 So I snapped a picture, but of course, I couldn't capture the essence of that moment.  Sometimes we can do that through our camera lens, sometimes we can't.  Sometimes it is just enough to remember.

I remember years ago, in our old house, Barry was giving our kids a bath.  They were probably aged 1 and 4.  They were laughing hysterically, and the summer light was streaming in the hallway window onto the old hardwood floors and it was just a moment of perfect happiness and beauty.  I thought to myself "I have to remember this moment" and I always have, and I was glad that I was present enough (how many times when we had little kids were we just going through the motions?) to know it was a beautiful, happy moment in time.  And it is as alive to me now as this moment in time when I am writing this blog post.  Thank God for our minds!

Colour almost always triggers feelings of beauty in me, as do patinas, worn things, how the light is hitting something.   Most days, we live in our spaces and while we like them and enjoy them (we did typically decorate them, so I assume we mostly enjoy them!) we may not see them.  But then every once in awhile, a moment happens and what was mundane or typical suddenly becomes special and treasured. 

People are also like that.  The more you get to know and like someone, the more beautiful they become to you.  I am always telling my husband "so-and-so is so beautiful!" and then when he meets them he says "well, sure, they are nice, but I wouldn't describe them as beautiful.."  But he would if he knew them better, I think.  Or maybe not.  Beauty is a personal thing.  And he might never like them like I do. 

Barry photo-bombing - when I first found these pictures, I thought "What the hell?"

Sometimes, you are in agreement.  Barry had never seen Ema before we met her in New York City.  While I always thought Ema was lovely from her blog, I thought she was truly beautiful once I met her and realized she was indeed a kindred spirit.  Barry agreed!

Sometimes all we need to do is look at a picture and we are immediately back in the moment.  And sometimes, even if the moment itself didn't seem particularly special at the time, it becomes special because we remember the person in the picture, what they were saying, what they were doing.

Son sitting by setting sun in South of France...

Sometimes we are fortunate, and we stumble upon beauty.  Sometimes someone has "gifted" us by making a space lovely...

.....other times, higher powers are at work

One of my vows in 2013 was to be more in the moment.  As I have said, I am taking more time to really look at the world around me, really listen to the conversations, really enjoy what the world is offering every day. 

If you don't mind, from time to time I might share some of that beauty with you.  And my thoughts about it, not only to remind myself, but because I find when I tell you all about, you folks who have become my "friends from away", it seems more real. 

As Keats said so famously (and which I wrote a paper about in high school and only received a B+!):

When old age shall this generation waste,

Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe

Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou sayst,

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," – that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

And your beauty is your truth.

So have a beautiful Monday, and stay safe out there!

And no, this is NOT an April's Fool Post!  I thought about telling you all I was pregnant, but who would believe that?  Well, my waistband, but no one else!