As you probably know, I use my blog to discuss “beauty” and this is often in relation to the latest cosmetic products or hot trends; we powder, colour, pluck, shave and curl but beauty arrives in many different forms… do we always open our eyes to it?
Beauty can be a physical or spiritual manifestation; a beautiful face, a kind heart, a loving gesture. Beauty can be found in surrounding ourselves with loved ones; creating memories, sharing stories. Beauty can be born from a new life; free, naive. Beauty can be exploited in nature; a serene lake set against a beautiful sunrise, wild flowers welcoming in the Spring. Beauty can be discovered through travelling; capturing moments, sharing experiences. Beauty can be a moment; looking out upon the twinkling stars that fill the night sky and knowing that someone, somewhere is doing the same.
Beauty is everywhere.
This concept struck me a few weeks ago, it was early in the evening and I was just finishing up work, to discover that I was living beneath a pink-hued sky. I stopped to appreciate that, before the moment passed.
Apologies for the low quality – this was the only camera that I had with me but it was a moment that I wanted to share.
Then, as if I hadn’t been living on the planet for 24 years already, I found beauty elsewhere on my journey. This might be a place that I have seen or passed through a hundred times over, yet there I was experiencing it as if it was all new to me.
Teri Hatcher, who I follow on Twitter, carried the same sentiment in one of her tweets that same week:
Much better quality (note to self: carry a superior quality camera)
“Mindfully notice beauty”, that’s what I would like to be the take away from this weeks post. If we could all just open our eyes to our surroundings, rather than (perhaps) taking them for granted, we might just find ourselves surprised by what we notice.
I motivate (that’s the idea, right?) you to carry a camera with you during an average week and try to snap as many moments of “beauty” as you can. Please share them, if you like!
On a separate note, if you haven’t seen the film “Life in a Day” (2011) then I highly recommend it. The film-makers set out on a quest to capture a single day on this planet from people all around the world with the help of YouTube, what transpires is a kaleidoscope of images that will help to reinforce the idea that beauty is everywhere.
You can watch the full film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaFVr_cJJIY&feature=related
The Girl In Glasses 
I love this idea so much, I always try to do this but it so easy to just stay up in your own head and go through the motions and then my friend sent me a picture today of a sunset and it was so beautiful and it really made me stop and think a bit about appreciating the beauty in the little things, so I am definitely going to try and do this more.
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In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Sometimes the most beautiful things can be found in the simplest of places! 🙂
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This is so true! Thanks for sharing & reminding us!!
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Thank *you* for reading! 😉
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Thank you for this post! I believe I am blessed because I can notice the simplest and the smallest of things and find beauty in them. Sometimes I think it annoys my hubby or friends that I’m with at the moment, because for me to appreciate them, I usually take photos. A lot of photos. Most people go through their days just doing and going through the notions of living but not really appreciating what is around them. Too many people take life for granted. And that is sad. We should all take the time to smell the roses….
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My sentiment exactly, I’m so pleased that you are able to appreciate your days and everything within them, sometimes all we need is a little perspective (and, of course, lots of photos) 🙂
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Reblogged this on From My Mind….
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Thank you very much, means a lot that you consider this to be worth sharing!
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I’ve seen that documentary float by on my Netflix recommendations quite a few times now; will have to check it out. Love the concept of “mindfully noticing beauty.” We’re all so caught up in our everyday lives that it’s easy to forget…
Reminds me of a lyric from a Counting Stars song I like: “I get lost in the beauty of everything I see; the world ain’t half as bad as they paint it to be.”
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I love that song as well, great lyric and entirely appropriate here! Thanks for the comment. xo
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Will you be my WordPress valentine?
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