Beauty can be so many things. I think it changes as we age. I love seeing beauty from the eyes of a child. Little children see the world so differently than we adults. It is easy to pass up the beauty they see. We are in a hurry and just don't slow down and look for beauty. Try taking a walk outdoors with a young child. Don't plan on being in a hurry. Just let the child roam from spot to spot as they discovery the beauty of nature. Did you notice all the beautiful things they found? Did you really marvel at the beauty of the rock or leaf? If you didn't, try looking again.
As I reflect upon the home schooling journey we are taking, I have begun to ask myself if my formal schooling caused me to lose sight of the beauty I saw in early childhood. I notice in my children how differently they reflect upon the world around us. Egee spent four years in school and Little Man none. Little Man still sees small things that we overlook. Egee is starting to regain this. I am having to force myself to refocus on it.
The nature walk, like I stated above really gets us to focus on the beauty that God created. The clouds in the sky, the lightening of a thunderstorm, the silhouette of tree in the winter, a robin hunting for a worm, dolphins playing in the surf, sunrise or sunset at the beach, etc. It is the simplest of things that are breath taking.
What about beauty in people? Isn't that what we usually conjure up when we here the word beauty? I try to teach my children that it is the inner beauty of a person that truly matters. Some very beautiful people may be very ugly on the inside. Some unattractive people may be extremely beautiful on the inside. I ask them which would they want as a friend.
We talk about what makes a person beautiful. We discuss how our attitudes reflect our beauty or lack of it. A skinny person is no more beautiful than an overweight person. A white collar worker is no more beautiful than a blue collar worker. It is the person's attitude that shows their beauty, not their physical appearance or job they hold.
My children understand this. They do not shun the exterior beauty or lack of it when they meet people. They see a person and strike a conversation with the person. They can tell the character of that person in a few minutes. They know if the true beauty is within the person or not.
I use the television shows my children watch to emphasize this lesson. Why does character X not like character Y? Do you like character Y? Why or why not? Did character X influence you liking or not liking character Y? These conversations sometimes impact whether or not they may continue to watch the show.
I tell the children that they need to work on their own inner beauty at times. When the grumpiness and woe is me attitudes rise and want to stick around for the day. How you treat your brother or sister plays a role in how others see your beauty. It is a process that takes a very conscious effort at times. Of course, even as adults, we need to work on our inner beauty at times.
So, what do you find beautiful?
