Beauty is Everywhere

One of the things I’m loving about the Picture Winter workshop I’m taking is that I’m learning to find beauty in unexpected places.

Finding beauty is easy in the other seasons of the year with their gorgeous flowers and vibrant colors.  But in Winter, it’s about looking beyond the {non-existent, but I’m not complaining mind you!} snow, icicles, and other traditionally beautiful aspects of winter.

Sometimes I think we have to redefine beauty as in the case of this Sweetgum Ball.  I don’t think many of us would consider this often-cursed, burred seed pod beautiful.  But I think its and shape is so unique and it’s bristly texture is something only nature could produce.  Can interesting be beautiful?  Yes, I do believe so.

When it comes to finding beauty, I think sometimes we also have to be able to look at things differently – appreciate something for what it is and not what it used to be.  For instance, this charming little “flower” is actually a spent Aster blossom.  Although the vibrant colors are long gone, I love that the structure of the flower remains intact.

Finding beauty in the Winter also requires that we dig a little deeper.  On Sunday I was pulling a few weeds and crouching around on my knees when I spied this sweet little “blossom” hiding beneath the dried foliage and flowers of my Chrysanthemums.  I love how the dried sepals look almost papery.  And when the sun hit it just right that afternoon…why yes indeed, it was beautiful.

There is also beauty in the unexpected.  It was a happy surprise to find that these sweet little Creeping Phlox flowers must not have gotten the memo that it’s still Winter.  I like to think that God put them there just to remind me that with Him, all things are possible.

Often, finding beauty is just a matter of luck and being in the right place at the right time. Sunday night the entire landscape had this warm, russet glow and when I went outside I saw the most amazing sunset.  It was if the sky had been painted with fire and I was lucky enough to see it.

And then sometimes, we don’t have to look too far to find beauty at all.  Sometimes, it’s there, staring us right in the face.

Yes, I truly believe…beauty is everywhere. 

Peace, Kelly