Beauty in the (not so) Small Things
Friday, February 9, 2007 at 10:53 AM 
“Beauty is the physical manifestation of the Mystery—God, Spirit, the Divine—that surrounds and beckons to us every day of our lives.” --The Invitation by Oriah
I lead an ordinary, extraordinary life. Yesterday was an amazing reminder to me. The sun seemed to shine a little brighter. The morning found me snuggled in bed—reading, writing, and listening to music. It was heavenly. Then I ventured out to work. The air was crisp and clear, springtime starting to tease. I had the privilege of sharing a young woman’s story and being with her in her struggles. There was something so good about knowing she had not been alone for an hour and neither had I. The Divine was present.
The day led me to a local outdoor mall where I made a return rather than purchasing something new. It felt good! I stood in the sunshine for a little while and pondered the possibilities of the time before my next appointment. Ultimately, I decided on coffee and a bagel at Starbucks. My bagel was fresh, my coffee was hot and the banter of baristas and customers was light. It was heavenly. And, the day got even better. I ran into a friend I had not seen in years. We stood in the fresh air, catching up and sharing stories.
All day long life brought me delight. I laughed out loud when I saw a sign for the “Dolphin Apartments”—a sign I had driven by 100 times but only noticed yesterday. I had tea with a friend and her soulful, rescued dog, Petunia who taught me much about relaxation and enjoying the moment. I saw Mount Rainier rimmed in pink clouds. I heard my daughter laugh. I knew my son was safe. I sparred and joked with my husband. I spoke to counselors and social workers. I corresponded with friends and read provocative blogs. I could go on and on about the “ordinary,” but you see, those things do not feel ordinary to me. They are beautiful and extraordinary--“physical manifestations of the Mystery.”
Blessings to you this day. My prayer is that you (and I) will see and experience the beauty of God in all that comes our way. Peace.
Dolphins, God, Reflections on Life
Reader Comments (6)
Wonderful. Thank God for the ocassional gift of days like this. :)
Thank you, Antony. May the occasional move into the regular as the ordinary shifts to extraordinary.
peace.
Kayce, I love this celebration of your day and I love that Tune and I got to play a small part in it. :-) Blessings, Christine
what a beautiful extra-ordinary day! thanks for sharing it with us all.
christine and rich--thank you for joining my celebration! may you each have your own extraordinary day. peace.
This is a lovely "slice of life" reminder of everyday wonders happening all around when we take time to notice and acknowledge them. I'm checking out your Small is Beautiful 7 in '07 Review as I contemplate what I want to write about for my 100th post at Sacred Ruminations. It IS a wonderful life! Thanks for sharing a bit of yours here.
Hugs and blessings,