Saturday, May 15, 2010

Beauty in the Day

Last week (or was it the week before) when I was driving through the Flint Hills I noticed these beautiful clouds. The photo doesn't do them justice. They were different shades of blue - perfect, clear, beautiful blue.

The prairie has a beauty that is unlike any other kind of beauty. It's more subtle, some might say more stark. I'm from a part of the country where beauty is very evident. Everywhere you look there are green trees, rolling hills and a lush landscape. The prairie does not give up its secrets so easily.

For the past few years the message has come to me multiple times in different ways that I need more beauty in my life. I'm never sure what to do with that. I try to pay attention to beauty around me. But it seems the universe is telling me there's more to appreciate than I've noted.

The days can slip by so quickly, with little time for noticing the beauty around us. Now I spend my work days in a windowless office, so the beauty of the outside world is not available to me during much of the day. But of course there's beauty beyond the natural world.

Earlier this week I spent a day outdoors with campers from one of the summer camps at work. These were eighth graders from El Paso, and they gave me a good feeling about the future. They were kind and helpful to each other, self-assured, intelligent and delightful company. I took photos and video of them doing their various activities.



Today I made a quick trip to Wichita to be on one of the midday news shows, talking about the Coffee next week, which I'm sorry to say I'll miss because I'll be out of the office.

I'm going away for a retreat. I need it. There is much going on in my life and I need to do some sorting and prioritizing.

2 comments:

sigerson said...

Mountains make me claustrophobic. Give me the big sky of the prairie.

The spectacular sunsets that seem to hang on the horizon forever on a muggy summer evening. The low hills that appear featureless in the harsh midday sun, but whose texture and contours are given dramatic form by the golden light and deep shadows of the dying day.

The canopy of stars. The storms with their lightning shows that you can watch for an hour before they reach you.

I've never felt closer to God than on the prairie. Wish I had been there to see those clouds. I bet they were spectacular.

Thank you for reminding me how much I love it out here.

Patsy Terrell said...

Your writing here is beautiful. I saw the clouds, but you described the scene better than me. Thanks for sharing your words.