Contemplating Beauty
Beauty as a daily focus for inspiration
Beauty can be a wonderful inspiration for daily life. When I have concentrated on beauty I have found it living in more and more places and people. I see it in the art friends share, I see it in nature, in creative projects, in how someone approaches someone with care and kindness, patience and compassion. Home projects made for self or loved ones become beautiful in their design or usefulness.
The personality can become more beautiful when tended to with loving care. Weeding out impulses and reactions that are challenging to our own hearts and relationships with our loved ones can help grow a more nurturing environment at home. Our personality becomes a richer resource for ourselves and for others to commune with as we take steps toward beautifying it like a garden.
Sometimes an event can help spark beauty in others. Last year I was driving to the local grocery the day after the area had heavy rains and flooding. As I paused to make a left turn I saw in the road a little orange clump of something in the middle of the road, no bigger than my fist. Something within, that intuitive something said to check it out. I put on my flashers and immediately the woman behind me in a humongus SUV blocked two lanes of traffic for my safety as she saw me getting ready to step out of the car.
As I carefully dashed to the fron of my car and peered down, there he was a tiny kitten, misplaced from the storm and in shock. I scooped him up and placed him in a shopping bag. Then, I waved and thanked the woman behind me in her white car and turned into the parking lot of the grocery. I did a quick not to close survey of the little orange kitten and he was definitely looking sickly. I bundled him up and left him in the bag in the back seat while getting some groceries. Called my generous husband and said we have a new pet!
When I returned he was sound asleep, yet shaking and very quiet. I drove home and got groceries tucked away then turned my attention to the kitten. I called the vet and made an appointment for the next day. For the night I washed him down with a washcloth, gently cleaned his eyes, and place him in a large blanketed cage by the heater.
The next day the vet gave the kitten the all-clear for anything infectious and gave him only necessary shots while we rebuilt his immune system. It was three days before the kitten uttered a sound. And that sound was when our only other pet at the time named Jet came into the hall and meowed. The kitten stirred and his ears perked up and began to meow.
From there with love and attention, he recuperated quickly and has grown into a beautiful orange tabby cat of one year. He is still small yet remarkably fast and loves to climb trees. He has learned the rules of our home in general over the year. We named him Leo. His beautiful orange fur and golden eyes remind me of beauty every day!
Sometimes I reflect on the beauty of how the universe helps us at surprising times. Like the day I found Leo or the Universe reminded me I needed a little new, loving someone added to my life. And that the woman behind me in the large white car instantly took charge and helped in informing others, while keeping us safe in the traffic, that still amazes me.
Today while I'm out taking photos in the yard and Leo zips by and runs up the red maple I smile and laugh at the vital life force he has and how beautifully he designed. It's like fairies got out their best paints to match all the shades of orange and gold so Leo would look like the little magical cat that he is. And somehow, somehow the beautiful Universe strove behind what appears in life to coordinate my driving to the store and little Leo to wander to the middle of the road for us to find each other. The heart has such loving terrains, a little creature's love blending with some human love can create a sweet and dear relationship.
Beautiful day wishes to you dear friends!
About the Creator
Virginia McGuire
I was born in Charlotte, NC and moved to the country an hour from Charlotte 24 years ago. I create mixed media art, write and am also a counselor. I find music adds to inspiration daily, while celebrating our beautiful planet with the arts.
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Honey, I Shrunk the Datacentres: Is Small the New Big?
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