Spaces of Beauty
The slaughter of an innocent young woman on a commuter train.
The assassination of an advocate for free speech and Christianity.
Multiple fatal attacks on places of worship in the USA and throughout the world.
Increasing repugnant language that incites hate and violence and evil.
A dark and vile ugliness seems to be encroaching every corner of our planet. And ideologies that revere death, destruction, and bondage of human beings continue to be shouted from proverbial rooftops without cloaks and masks. The evil gladly bears its face and applauds its own voice.
The opposition to good and kindness and truth continues to surge at break-neck speed, and daily events of atrocity are no longer unexpected. The horrible stories we see and hear can lead us to moments of overwhelm, anxiety, exhaustion, fear, and even hopelessness.
The dark appears to be crushing the light.
Yet please remember…
Darkness only exists in the absence of light.
And light is real. And powerful. And true.
Light is an inherent gift we came to this earth with at birth.
As the “true Light” has the power to “lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” (John 1:9 KJV), you and I are beings of light. By our divine and eternal nature, we are created in the image of the source of all Light. And we are designed to SHINE.
As others may seek to snuff out light in an ever-darkening world, it is our invitation and choice to grow brighter and brighter. To chase the darkness with light. To share light with each person in our path and sphere. To show them their own light and encourage them to grow it.
But how?
Let’s start with your favorite, beautiful spot. Envision this place for a few moments. Is it a lake in the mountains? A quiet cove at the seaside? An old, stone church with gothic-inspired architecture? Perhaps a garden spot in your own backyard or a park bench amongst trees tucked away in your neighborhood? Could it even be the night sky on a porch in the countryside?
When you envision your beautiful place, what details about this perfect setting create beauty? Is it colors, shapes, textures, sounds (or lack thereof)? Maybe it is a culmination of all these things. And if I could talk with each of you one-on-one, I know that a significant aspect of your place of beauty would be the presence of light.
My space? Currently, it’s the Great Smoky Mountains. You can typically find me each Saturday exploring a new hike, searching for streams and waterfalls in this enchanted forest. The light cascading through the tree leaves and penetrating the various water-filled crevices and moss-covered logs and rocks is nothing short of a spectacular encounter with the Divine’s creations.
Spaces of beauty are full of light. Even the night sky creates a realm of beauty with its twinkling stars and luminous moon. Beauty cannot and does not exist in darkness. Yet, when light enters a space of shadows and blackness, beauty can transpire. Even in the lowest portals of darkness where nothing but ash remains, God promises us, through His power, we may receive “beauty for ashes.” (Isaiah 61:3) It is by the power of our Creator, He who knows how to separate the dark from the light, that beauty flourishes.
We often choose a “favorite spot” not solely based upon aesthetics, but because of how this personal sanctuary helps us feel. And it is those feelings - peace, joy, calm, connectedness, divinity, worthiness, love, gratitude and more - that I want you to ponder.
Beauty Within
When we dwell on the good, the positive, the lovely, and the loving - we create a space of beauty in ourselves. And it is from this space we expand our influence to impact and bless others.
In our fast-paced and to-do-list-obsessed world, it’s not just important, but critical, that you and I create moments of pause each day to grow spaces of beauty within. And it starts with how we talk to and treat ourselves, which is always impacted by what we let into our mind and body.
So, let’s take inventory (and I encourage you to write this down):
-What are you watching? (TV/movies, social media scrolling, work, home)
-What are you listening to? (music, TV/movies, social media)
-What are you reading? (books, magazines, news headlines, social media)
-What are you drinking?
-What are you eating?
-How are you moving your body?
-What is the quality and quantity of your sleep?
-How are you spending time outside of work, family, and basic living responsibilities?
This post is not going to present a health improvement plan. However, who we are today and who we will be tomorrow is 100% influenced by the choices we make now in how we use our minds and bodies to live on earth.
And let me cast away doubts or overwhelm or frustration. Perfection is not a requirement for spaces of beauty. As with all good things in life, creating beauty is a process. It’s a 1% change each week. A choice to modify not-so-good habits and build excellent habits. A healthy pause between an event and your reaction.
Let’s go back to our inventory list. What activities, sights, music, articles, TV shows and so on are you consuming or participating in that build, lift, edify, strengthen, and bring you peace and joy and purpose? Hold on to these choices.
What are watching, listening to, or doing that depletes energy, causes internal (or external) contention, weakens resolve to do good, and leaves you feeling empty and grumpy? These answers, my friend, will move the needle in your efforts to create beauty in your life and the lives of others around you.
And here’s why: You have the power to choose, to adjust, to start, to quit, to try. And you and I need to be clear on the reality of our situations if we’re going to wisely and intentionally change it. Again, let go of the overwhelm and exasperation and despair. Instead, be grateful and even rejoice, in the truth that you have the ability to choose beauty today.
What is one (even small and simple) choice you can make this day or this week, consistently, that will carve out a nook of beauty within? Is it:
-Swapping out 5 minutes of social media scroll time to reading or listening to 5-minutes of positive self-affirmations or sending a text or audio note of encouragement to a friend you know needs it?
-Creating a no-device zone for dinner time and filling the silence with a meaningful question and answer session with your family?
-Adjusting bedtime by a few minutes earlier, so you can ponder and write down 1-3 experiences you had during the day you are grateful for?
-Implementing a 1-2 minute pillow talk each morning - including mindful breathing, gratitude, and positive I AM statements you’ll need during the day - before you lift your head off the pillow or reach for your phone?
-Turning off the TV, the social media, the radio when you hear or see arguing, the berating or debasing others, vulgarity, or mocking of good?
Always have a new choice when you are attempting to adjust current choices and habits. When you are eliminating or limiting an action (e.g., social media scrolling), be intentional about your use of time or focus which will go in its place (5 minutes of immersive powerful affirmations or a voice memo of encouragement to a friend in lieu of social media scrolling). Keep the focus of creating beauty within and all around you.
As you tweak and adjust to form new habits, take moments of observation and reflection on the positive outcomes which transpire in your life and lives of others. It’s important to understand how small and simple choices increase beauty and create greatness in our world.
Unexpected Beauty
I recently had the opportunity for a stroll in Greenwich Village (Manhattan, NY). As much as I love the fun boutiques and food shops in NYC, I was mesmerized by the beautiful, outdoor nooks I found on my walk.
I rested on a bench in Jefferson Market Garden, delighted by the birds and butterflies and fish I watched on a sunny afternoon. I realized that beautiful spaces provide an oasis and respite for beautiful and peaceful creatures. The same is true for our creations of spaces of beauty. We will attract others who need these spaces to flourish and provide our world with their gifts and talents and skills.
As I continued to wander the neighborhood (my new, favorite way to explore NYC), I found myself on the Hudson River sitting on a beach chair, my feet in warm, soft sand as I gazed at the Statue of Liberty across the river. A few yards away, I encountered another surprising space of lush grass, plants, and flowers on Little Island. Reminding me of a modern-day park we might find blueprints for in the 1960s cartoon, The Jetsons, this architecturally-stunning spot of green and vibrant color (in the summer) is a captivating and fun wellspring of joy. Amongst the towering hard, steel buildings and cluttered gutters of the city, one can experience a plot of soft tranquility and flowing beauty on top of the water.
As much as I adore lovely spaces of flowers and plants, spaces of beauty are even found in the most unlikely places. As I write this article, I’m sitting at an airport gate after spending the last 45 minutes or so inside the dedicated space for an interfaith chapel at LaGuardia International Airport. The beautiful stained glass and soft tones of the benches in the enclosed room offered a quiet escape from the typical chatter and stark white colors of airport hallways. As a woman of faith, I was entranced with the reverent attitude all who entered this space displayed, regardless of their faith practice within this chamber. This unexpected space created an environment for perhaps the best of individual beauty to shine in those of us who entered this room to reflect and even worship according to our faith beliefs.
Beauty exists when we choose to create it. Our thoughts, our words, our actions are constantly creating environments, within us and around us. It is through this power of choice we build, lift, and edify or tear down, demolish, and destroy.
We can create spaces of beauty every day within ourselves, in our homes, on our porches, in conversations, online, and in the dark spots of life that need our light.
Choose this day to create beauty - internally and externally.
Choose to seek beauty - in all you see, hear, and do.
Choose to invite others to join you and let their light shine.
Remember - you are divine and loved. You are beautiful and worthy and strong.
Lovingly,
