Wednesday, December 7, 2011

“You Find Beauty in Ordinary Things. Do Not Lose This Ability.”



The fortune of the day pulled from the Jar of Fortunes is “You find beauty in ordinary things. Do not lose this ability.” You know, I never used to find this bit of wisdom hard to live by. Lately though, life has thrown me some major curve balls. Those curves should have come with the warnings like “slippery when wet” (insert Bon Jovi riff here) and “falling rocks ahead” (avalanche of death). Well, that’s what it feels like anyways. When I lived in Edgewater, Maryland I would frequently find myself driving over the South River Bridge at sunset. After living there for 20 years I can proudly say that it never got old, NEVER. I could be sitting in the worst bottle neck traffic, like ever, but then I would look out at the water. I would see the array of breathtaking colors reflecting on the water and kind of Zen out. To this day, I think those are some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.


Losing my job threw me for a loop. I stopped looking at the ordinary or extraordinary things, just stopped. There wasn’t beauty in anything. I mean are you ‘effing kidding me? I didn’t have a job in a time when there aren’t jobs to be found. Not to mention the little fact that I lived where I worked, so, after the month “grace” period I wouldn’t have a place to live. No job, no money coming in, and no place to live. Where is the beauty in that?


This year I have had the chance to spend more time with my family than I have ever been able to do in previous years. Like in a really long time…just ask my Mom and she will tell you. This blessing was brought about as a side effect of joblessness. During these trips I have gotten to know my step family even more. I have had the chance to hang out with my little great-step-nephew, Jerrik, who is cuter than a bee’s knee. Having him “help” me walk my dog Angus is a heartsquisher. Just he and I time that I cherish and we don’t even discuss world problems. I mean he is only 4 so I will cut him a break on that one. We talk about why Angus sniffs the heck out of the yard and how gross poop is. I love it. Ordinary (even sometimes gross) things and yet so beautiful.


This summer my new roomy and I planted a garden. How ordinary, right? God, I loved it. I loved watching everything grow and then getting to eat those veggies that we had labored over. My freezer is now full of spaghetti sauce and soup I made from those homegrown veggies. I also spent a lot of time on our porch swing reading and decompressing from the last five years of my life. I have taken walks in the local arboretum. I have gotten to nurture old friendships that hadn’t been nurtured in a criminally long time. Did you know there is an amazing amount of beauty in having a real sized kitchen, having your own washer/dryer, and having a tub? I made my first homemade apple pie in 10 years with apples from a local orchard. Listening to Angus snore while I write this is a sweet thing. The only ordinary thing that I haven’t found beauty in yet is the stink bug. That is a tough one. There is beauty in writing this ordinary blog, well, to me any ways.


So, find beauty in ordinary things and those ordinary things will become beautiful.


Writing myself to happy.

No comments:

Post a Comment