A Simply Beautiful Day 57

As my eyes began to open this morning I embarked upon a quest to discover beauty today. While driving to work I notice an incredibly old tree in the middle of the highway. It had at least 7 large squirrel holes dispersed along its trunk. Many of its larger branches had broken off over time creating more circular crevices for rodents and insects to abide within. Leafless, ashen, and dismembered it almost seemed to shiver in the howling wind. But I loved the beauty of it as I sped by. This old broken tree living between two bustling roads, having experienced several tragedies and sitting alone in the cold frigid winter was still alive. It was there for me to see and to smile about and it still had life in its branches. It was beautiful.


I also noticed a single hardy leaf twirling about on a snow covered hill side. There wasn’t a single other leaf in sight. I wondered how the little fellow managed to hold on for so very long or at least preserve himself well enough to be able to dance atop the snow covered hills so late into winter. I saw beauty in that playful brown leaf.

The north western edge of Michigan is currently home to endless frosted hills rolling beneath a white winter sky strewn with scattered forests of dark twiggy trees that hold snowflakes upon every branch. I believe that if the trees weren’t in place one wouldn’t be capable of distinguishing hills from sky. The vastness of brown and white is from a postcard or an enchanting movie. There are but two colors in all the world. And yet for over 2 hours I drove amongst the wintery white hills and the trembling brown forests. Michigan is unbearably cold at present but I dare say it makes amends with its beauty.

The most beautiful moment I encountered today was in the words of woman at Meijer. For years this lady has been greeting me with an ever consistent bright cheery, “Hello Michal!” Today she mentioned to me that the many changes that have taken place recently in her department have been difficult. Shift changes, job description rewrites, manager shifting, you name it, it’s not fun. Then she said that through it all she has tried with all her might to find one thing with meaning, one thing that really matters, one thing to hold it all together and keep her going. The thing that fuels her is her relationship with the older women who diligently shop at the store; women who’ve lost their husbands; many who haven’t much family left; she said that giving them hugs every day, saying hello, talking about the day, being family for them is the thing that keeps her going. And then she said even though I’m hugging them and I know it means so much, really they’re hugging me and they don’t realize what that means. I saw nothing more beautiful today than her heart. And I’ve never taken the effort to commit her name to memory until today.

Beauty is all around us.

Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
1 Pe 3:3-4

7. yard - yarda
8. yesterday - ayer