Beauty All Around Us
Sensory overload does not adequately describe the sights and sounds my daughter and I encountered in our recent trip to New York City. The blinding signage in Times Square shouting messages to the passer-byers, daring them to ignore their persistence was relentless. The ominous presence of the NYPD, weapons ready, reminding us we weren’t in Indiana anymore. The skyscrapers sought to draw us in, convincing us of our miniscuity. People with dogged determination and focus strove to arrive quickly to their destination, scurrying as mice through a maze to their prize. Aromas mixed together into something undefinable and unappetizing.
However, if you paused and began to shut out the hustle-bustle, commercialism, and noise, beauty began to bloom within the cement jungle. There was the serenity of St. Patrick’s Cathedral where the architecture and reverence of the great cathedral brought solace in a city that seems unable to rest. The New York Public Library was populated with people who paused to read, explore art, demonstrate their talents… or sit in the adjacent Bryant Park and gaze on those who were expressing themselves in dance, music, and painting. Or enjoy a hot cocoa while taking in those who braved the ice rink. And what a welcome surprise that the towering buildings gave way and allowed for the openness of Central Park with trees, grace, ponds, rocks, beautiful bridges… what a breath of fresh air (okay minus the horse leftovers from the plethora of carriages). But people have slowed here --- they have escaped the city with its pressures and demands. Now, they sit on park benches and reflect; attempting to find what they lost within their soul. They play Frisbee, exercise through running and bike riding; remembering that the body and soul are connected. They visit with others, spend time with their children and pets; finding life and meaning in relationship.
How many things would gain clarity and even beauty in our lives if we paused, reflected, and related? Sometimes, most of the time, the most precious and meaningful gems in life are found when we stop, look up, gaze with fresh eyes at what is around us and be thankful! The greatest Artist of all time has surrounded us with beauty, but we have to examine what is right in front of us and embrace wherever we find ourselves. LOOK!
Beauty surrounds you. And what did we see when we paused in the great NYC that never sleeps:
The blessing of 60 degree weather in January in NYC!
Simple pleasure of beholding the iconic Rockefeller Christmas tree lit up with twinkling lights
People of faith praying in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, seeking the truth in a city that tempts all with temporal and material
A young mom and dad, working as a team to corral all their three young-ins and smiling and speaking tenderly to each other
Artists of the canvas, music, and dance brave enough to display their talent for all to see
Patrons at New York Public Library exploring history, architecture, and the written word --- giving evidence that reading isn’t a lost art after all
The theater that quite literally makes books come alive, actors drawing us in to join them on this adventure
An unexpected and delightful park that seems endless, surrounded by the gift of nature
Quiet moments, sipping hot cocoa with my daughter, as we converse and watch the skaters with the New York Public Library as our backdrop will forever be etched in my memory
If you took time to cease, gaze all around you, what beauty would you see? What can you be thankful for amidst the chaos of life? What is right before you that you need to embrace?
Take the challenge of ceasing, pausing, reflecting, and embracing beauty. Test this ancient practice of being still and seeing with clarity and anticipation. Share with someone what benefits you reap.
