The day is adjusting into one of great beauty, at least on the outside. It’s a mild, peaceful morning on the deck with all the familiar sounds that accompany almost any morning while seated at my table. I am hoping the daily beauty and affection from The Quartet will nurture the inner sluggishness I am feeling at the moment. I abide by, “and this, too, shall pass,” but right now, it no longer feels like Indiana Jones outrunning the boulder. Spiritually, and for the moment, the boulder has won.

One bright spot for this Friday is seeing twelve Mary Lincoln daylilies dazzling passersby in the front yard. They really do make me smile.

This submission was not written by me but is from DailyOM’s site where I often find comfort, encouragement, guidance, and inspiration.

Make it a great day any way you can…

BEAUTY DAY from DailyOM

Take the time today to really notice and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.

Sometimes we go through whole days without really tuning in to the beauty of nature that surrounds us. We have a habit of seeing it without really taking it in, yet once we begin to notice it we treat ourselves to an exquisite realm of subtle, complex scents, miraculous forms, and ethereal light. The natural world enriches our entire being through the vehicles of our senses. When we are low, nature lifts our spirits. When we are tired, it rejuvenates us — if we pause long enough to drink from its beauty. If you have fallen out of the practice of taking time to observe the light as it filters through the leaves of a tree, or the concentric rings a raindrop makes as it plops into a puddle, you can retune yourself by dedicating a day to noticing the beauty in nature. 

On this day, one possibility is to rise early enough to see the sunrise. Watching the sky change colors and the world emerge from darkness is an experience that will influence the whole rest of your day in ways that words cannot describe. Or simply observe the quality of the morning light as it infuses the world with its particular pale golden beauty. You may let the light play on your own hand, remembering that you are also part of the natural world. Let your intuition guide you to the elements of nature that call to you throughout the day, such as the sound of the wind as it shakes and sways a tree or the feeling of snowflakes landing on your warm eyelids and cheeks. 

After you devote one day to opening your eyes more fully to the beauty of nature, you may want to make this part of your daily routine. Each day drink from the beauty all around you and allow it to rejuvenate your entire being. All you have to do is pause, for just one minute, and really take it in, remembering to thank Mother Nature for her beauty.