There is Beauty All Around

This week's Wordful Wednesday asks:

What comes to mind when you think of BEAUTY?

 I had a few thoughts when I saw this question.  My first thought was, of course, in what area of life?  I also wondered if I could pick more than one thing.  I also started humming For The Beauty Of The Earth...can't even get it out of my mind!





Other images popped into my head...one by one I saw each of my children in my minds eye as they came into the world.  Beautiful. 
(Here's one of them in her blessing dress...)

 
Next I thought of the place I go to when I'm stressed out, or when I'm sitting in the dentist chair or any other unpleasant but necessary experience!  The other beauty in this picture is the children watching the pelican getting ready to dive into the ocean for some lunch.  Also, John holding tightly to Katie Anne's hand as they venture past the water's edge is beauty to me.

This year I had the joy of seeing the beauty of growing a garden for ourselves.  They were always pretty before, but somehow seeing our hard work pay off was really beautiful.  (Hmmm...is there a parallel to life here?)

 

Last spring we ventured outside on a Sunday afternoon.  After a few lovely shots such as the one below, I plopped myself down in the middle of the trampoline and just opened my eyes to the wonders above me.  I watched a few wispy clouds trail by, the newly greened up trees rustling slightly in the breeze, the blue of the sky so clean and pure that I felt the beauty inside of me.  

 

Some beautiful things I don't have pictures for so I'll share just one.  Each Sunday I have to sit at the front of Relief Society, the women's group in our church.  I do not like sitting up front, but it's where I sit with the calling I have.  The one bright spot, besides the fantastic growling of my friend's stomach and not getting the squeaky chair, is watching all the little things the women do for each other during the meeting...they might pick something up that was dropped, they might give a sweet encouraging smile to the teacher, or they might take a crying baby from a stressed out mom.  They give pats on the back, mints to their neighbors, and are generally on the watch for what they can do for another.  I love it. 

So there's beauty for you...beauty is driving up to my home any time I've been away, beauty is having my boys yell Mom! when they walk in the door after school,beauty is the dinner my mom made for us the other night...beauty is all around!  You just have to open your eyes!

What is beauty to you?