Surprised By Beauty

“In order to become attentive to beauty, we need to rediscover the art of reverence. A sense of reverence includes the recognition that one is always in the presence of the sacred. To live with reverence is to live without judgment, prejudice and consumerism. The consumerist heart becomes empty and lonesome because it has squandered reverence. Reverence opens pathways for beauty to surprise us.”

John O’Donohue, Beauty

Last week I was rushing to a meeting after dropping my sweetness off at school. With my mind filled with details on the day’s agenda, I pulled into the left lane to avoid a stationary car, when something caught my eye. I slowed my pace and lifted my gaze to see the most magnificent view of the North West Arm. A solo sailboat floated in seemingly perfect stillness within the calm waters and the pristine shoreline glistened with a trim of ice. I took a deep smooth breath and allowed myself to melt into the beauty of the moment.

In our fast paced culture, it is common practice to put our minds on autopilot and zoom from point A to B to C to get the day done. The tragedy in this formula is that we too often miss the opportunities to be uplifted by life’s beauty. Spiritual practice in any form, teaches us to wake up from our unconscious slumber and notice the beauty that’s just waiting to inspire us in each moment. By approaching our lives with greater reverence for the sacred, we teach others around us, including our children, to notice and be nourished by beauty.

This week, I invite you to lift your gaze from the high speed pace of life and open to being surprised by the beauty that surrounds you.

It’s everywhere!

Jenny