The Importance of Beauty
Some might say we live in a world without beauty; that people treat each other with disdain and ugliness and that corporations are more interested in the bottom line than cleaning up the environment so that beauty can shine through. I suppose this is true on a visceral level. But the sense of beauty is internal; it invites us to see things differently. We seek it because we know its importance. Beauty smooths out the rough edges of life, allowing us to live within the richness of what it has to offer.
But, where do we find beauty? How does one go beyond the ugliness of sensational news stories of mayhem and destruction? How does one see beauty in the ordinary—in one’s everyday life?
I see beauty in a sunset; witnessing the painted sky and bountiful beauty of God’s artistry is what inspires my own creativity. I also see it in colorful art and setting up my home with just the right accents and accouterments. I love the delight that looking at certain things in my home brings me while chatting with a friend or partaking in a meal. Whether inside or outside, I surround myself with visual delights.
There’s quite more to beauty than what one can see though. It is also in what one feels. The sensations brought on by a soothing piece of music; in a wonderful conversation, and in the eyes of the innocence of a grandchild. I also find beauty in words. The written word can dance on a page and stir up the most exciting and interesting thoughts. They can motivate us to move into action when necessary or lull us into a calmness that we’re in need of as well. Words on a page can conjure up beautiful thoughts of how we’d like to live our lives and bring about the most wonderful imaginings.
Another way to find beauty is through the ideas and presentation of others. People often say, “Ronnie, you’re so creative!” I am profoundly grateful for my creativity. But it’s not meant just for me. It’s meant to share with others and I enjoy doing so. My ideas, suggestions, even the pictures I post on social media, are not only intended to share but to inspire. It delights me when people tell me they are going to follow an idea that I put out there or order something they saw that I created or presented. After careers in teaching and publishing, I am now spreading my creative wings in entrepreneurship that allows me to share my passion and talents with others. There’s so much beauty in sharing. In fact, one of the reasons I began selling caftans was because I wanted to share the beauty of how they make me feel. I feel my most relaxed and comfortable in a colorful caftan. Many of my readers are retired or work from home. Even those who work outside of home want to come in and ditch restrictive clothing the minute they walk through the door. The lounge-wear feel of caftans offers the solution for maintaining a sense of beauty and elegance while relaxing or working.
Recently we had a large birthday bash for our oldest son. Out of town guests came to celebrate and it was beautiful. The theme colors were black and gold in honor of my son’s beloved fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. I too wore a cute little black and gold dress. However, as the evening went on, I slipped into a most lovely caftan and received more compliments on that than the outfit I had had on earlier. I find that caftans are not only practical, the colors that jump out can make you feel like you are in a flower garden or an exotic rainforest.
I’ve contemplated the importance of beauty for a very long time, often asking myself if it as important to others as it is to me. I personally can’t imagine a world without beauty. Nor can I conceive of how one can go through life without deeply seeking it. So. today, challenge yourself to see beauty in your everyday life and create more of it. Remind yourself of what beauty does for you internally by finding more external things that make you smile. To enhance the lives of your friends, try sending personal notes to them and experience the beauty of their joy… There’s beauty in sharing! Surround your own space with colorful art and peace-evoking sayings where you can see them and contemplate the beautiful thoughts…There’s beauty in seeing and feeling! Sip tea or coffee from a lovely mug while wearing just the right caftan that speaks to your expressions of beauty… there’s beauty in personal expression!
Life is beautiful. All one needs to do is find it by seeing, feeling, listening, expressing and sharing. Once it is sought and created, sit back and enjoy.
Yorumlar