A Triad of Beauty

I love beauty. Beautiful things like sunrises, a joyful smile, a show of strength, pretty objects, depth of character. Beautiful feelings like persevering to gain success, showing someone you love them, experiencing sadness in situations where you truly care...the list goes on and on.

What I'd like to do on this blog is have occasional posts where I list three (because three is my favorite number) impressions that I find beautiful.

And not broadly ranged things, like music or laughter or general topics. These three things must be more specific, little things that might not be obviously beautiful but that shine out in a memorable way to me and I just can't help but want to share with others. Because sharing beauty with others is where I find great joy.

1. Novenas.

I have recently discovered a delight in praying novenas. My sister shared a link with me to a website where they email you the prayers to the novena every day, so you won't forget, and it works so well for me! I had been having trouble fitting in daily prayer - a struggle I think most people can relate to - but now I start each morning with the novena. With time I find myself adding more and more prayers throughout my day, and that has been a truly beautiful thing.

Here's the link to that website: http://www.praymorenovenas.com.

2. Twalks.

A term I believe my mother said, but really just talking and walking. An excellent way to spend time with a person, sharing what's on your mind or in your heart, getting exercise while gaining quality time with someone you might not otherwise be able to focus on for so long. Be it family, friends, or new acquaintances, "twalking" is one of my favorite pastimes and it's beautiful - especially if you have great scenery!

3. Small town life

This one is a bit more odd, but let me explain. At least partly. Growing up in the country, I haven't always felt like there were many people in my town that knew or cared overmuch about my life. Until this summer. This summer I work in the bank, and I begin to realize how many people have watched me grow up, know who my Grandma is, and want to know my life plan. Anything new happens, I can't go anywhere without someone mentioning it or knowing a little tidbit about my life. While I know this can seem oppressive and irritating to some people, this summer I've been finding it endearing (while at times embarrassing) that there are so many that care about what I do.

So, those are my three beautiful ideas for today. They may seem a bit vague, but I guess the idea of this exercise is to realize that there is beauty in every day, and to begin to look for it in places you might not expect to see it.


"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." ~Helen Keller

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." ~Confucius