“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” ~ Vincent van Gogh
Welcome to Day 13!
Hello fellow Nature-lover. Have you had your “Nature Fix” today?
We all need it. It is our cure for stress, anxiety, boredom, and even high blood pressure and other health issues. It’s our nourishment for the soul, and has even been described as “Vitamin N”.
Probably one of the most obvious things we all love about Nature though, is its indisputable beauty.
We love to drive, hike and camp near majestic, breath-taking mountain scenery and ocean seascapes, glorious sunrises and sunsets, and fascinating, beautiful wild creatures. Artists love to sketch, paint and photograph gorgeous natural scenes, and we love to buy them and hang them on our walls.
The beauty found in nature has a soothing effect on the soul, reminding us that there is an eternal quality deep within us that longs for attractive symmetry, glorious splendor, stunning views and natural heart appeal.
It’s easy to see why millions and millions of people make annual vacations by the ocean, and visit wondrous places Yellowstone, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains. The appeal is obvious. But how often do we stop and think of the beauty right in our local neighborhoods, and even right in our own backyard?
Sure, there is a difference between the Grand Canyon and the grand little park down the street, but that simple little place displays its own kind of beauty. What we’re talking about here is the ability to see beauty in everything.
The first place to start, even before you step outside your door, is to begin with “Presence”.
When you are living in the moment, slowing down enough to actually take notice, it’s easy to find beauty in the simple things all around you; the shape of a tree, the opening of a flower’s petals, the dancing shadows and sunlight on the greenery in the forest, the intense color of the heavens, the breath of the wind through the tall grasses and weeds in the field, the reflection of the sky and landscape on a still body of water – and even that little weed determined to grow through the crack in the sidewalk.
If beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder, then it’s up to us to train our eyes, and develop a sense of appreciation for the aesthetic qualities of life in the natural world we live in.
Part of the joy of self-development and personal growth is getting to know ourselves better; our likes and dislikes. The things that speak to us. Our favorites. We don’t all have the same favorite color, or love the beach or want to vacation in the mountains. But we would all agree that we all love and appreciate beauty.
When we slow down enough to become present and embrace not only to the moment, but the place we are in as well, we make room for creating more moments. It is in these moments that we begin to take notice of the details around us, and develop an appreciation and gratitude for the new beauties we suddenly see; things we hadn’t really noticed before.
In the process of doing this, I have found myself many times saying things like, “I never noticed that before”, or “Wow, that is amazing! Look at the incredible variety of greens in that field!” Suddenly there was a new-found joy in the simple, and a respect for the seemingly mundane.
Suddenly, beauty could be found everywhere…
So for today’s adventure in Nature, your mission and goal is to search for and identify what you would call beautiful. The word beauty is sort of like the word love. I love my wife, but I also love my dog. I love pizza and I also love to hike in the mountains.
You see what I mean? Something doesn’t have to be stunning or breath-taking in order to be considered beautiful. Beauty can be small and simple like a butterfly or a buttercup. Or it can be grand and majestic, like a 14,000-foot snow-capped mountain, or a dreamy sunset on the pacific in Hawaii.
So head outside right now and find your beautiful! I think you’ll encounter at least one surprise in your journey today!
Enjoy!
Checklist for Day 13
☐ MEDITATION: Day 13 – “Finding Beauty in Everything” (Be sure to listen to this active meditation on iTunes or here at Mountain Zen.)
☐ NATURE WALK: 20 minutes searching for beauty in everything.
☐ JOURNAL: What beautiful surprises are you most grateful for today?
Post your pictures, experiences, observations and questions and share them on our 21-Day Nature Challenge Facebook Community Group page.
Photo by Brett Wilson for Mountain Zen Den
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