Reflection
In the turbulence of our days, amid events that trouble us, we tend to forget that there is still wonder in our world, that beyond the struggles for power and transitory victories, deep within creation, there still exists wholesomeness and goodness and beauty. We need to try to put aside the noise of conflict, anger and division and turn to what will refresh our spirits and renew our hope. It is renewing to take a walk, to listen to the sounds of the earth, to read an inspiring poem or essay, to listen to music, to have an open conversation, and to choose the good.
Prayer
Let us give thanks.
Action
Whether you live in the city or the country, observe the wonderful things around you.
Suggested Reading
But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
And the birds of the air, and they will tell you;
Or speak to the earth, and it will teach you;
And the fish of the sea will explain to you.
Who among all these does not know
That the hand of the Lord has done this.
Job 12:7-9
Creation is a gift, it is a wonderful gift that God has given us, so that we care for it and we use it for the benefit of all, always with great respect and gratitude.
Pope Francis
There is nothing that makes its way more directly into the soul than beauty.
Joseph Addison
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Confucius
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.
Helen Keller
We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
Jawaharlal Nehru
A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.
Leo Buscaglia
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.
Martin Luther
The more often we see the things around us – even the beautiful and wonderful things – the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds – even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.
Franz Kafka
The human soul needs actual beauty more than bread.
D.H. Lawrence
There is a road from the eye to the heart that does not go through the intellect.
Gilbert Keith Chesterton