This month, my wife, Sarah, is keeping a journal full of the things that other people find beautiful throughout their day.
That in itself is a beautiful thing, but it’s also one of the most intentional ways I’ve ever seen an individual pursue friendship. Not only taking the time to reach out to friends daily to gather their thoughts, feelings and insights into their world, but also way it makes others think.
The first day she asked me what my beautiful thing was, it was a Monday that I had spent entirely in my office from 6:30a - 5p. That required me to really think about it. What did I actually see that was beautiful around my cubicle? Aside from my beachside computer background. Was it the cleaning women saying hello to me? Was it the way the fog was settling in over the city? Was it how technology allowed me to take an elevator instead of 5 flights of stairs?
Beauty comes to us in so many ways, and it doesn’t have to be a grand mountain scene or an ocean-front property. Sometimes, I think we can all get a little spoiled by beauty and cease to recognize its presence in everyday life. Similar to a reason I’ve heard people say they would never want to live by the mountains; they would be afraid the daily routine of seeing them would make us lose majesty.
Sarah walked in right before I started to write this entry this morning, looking beautiful (She made a rule that my beautiful thing for the day can’t be seeing her, sigh). I stopped, looked at her and said, “You’ve distracted me,” (in a good way of course"). But now I realize something, she didn’t distract me - she inspired me. And I hope she inspires you today today with the question: What’s something beautiful you saw today?
Cliff
-Sarah’s Note: Notice the beautiful things, big or small.