Beauty in the City

I classify myself as a city girl because I grew up in a busy suburban area.  It doesn't compare to New York or L.A., but it's certainly not country either.  As I grew up here, I failed to see the beauty underneath the hustle and bustle of the place.  Instead, I saw the urgency of people needing to get from one place to the other and I wistfully imagined I could live somewhere that had a slower pace to life...

Washington Monument; from my instagram

My maternal grandparents retired to Arkansas and lived on a mountain with over 80 acres of land.  Though there are no shortage of exotic bugs there {during my youth, I honestly thought stick bugs were only some animated creature from A Bug's Life until one fell on my head while I was standing by my grandparents' garage}, I positively loved the trees and hiking with my family through the acres upon acres of wooded land.  The nearest Super Wal-Mart was 20 minutes away and the next door neighbors were around a mile away.  There were no train whistles to be heard, no marching bands in the distance... Nothing to worry about except rattle snakes and poisonous spiders.

Then there are my paternal grandparents.  They still live in the same house in which my Daddy was raised on Long Island, NY and I've learned to love it as much as he.  I've been able to share the places of his childhood memories and make memories of my own there.  The bay is literally in their backyard and water skiers are frequently seen on the weekends.  The main road is rather small and the closest city is either New York {2 hours} or a ferry ride across the Sound to Connecticut.  One of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon is to sit on Grandpa's boat or lay down on the nearby empty beach with a good book to enjoy for hours.  

But when vacations were over we would return to plain old life in the busy and urgent DC area.  During my childhood, these places were my perceptions of beauty, not the air of urgency in our area.  But beauty never stays hidden forever.  And before long, God began to reveal Himself to me through the beauty in the city.

First, I saw the nature.  How blessed we are to have birds and squirrels, foxes and deer here!  Cloudless blue skies fill me with such joy; the sun, so strong and bright I can't even look at it, enables me to enjoy everything else around me through sight.  I began to look forward to daily early morning walks to the nearby cemetery to pray the rosary while watching the sun rise over the hills decorated with bouquets of flowers.  I noticed thebeauty of each breath I took throughout the day and finally began to appreciate the beauty of my own life.

And then finally I noticed the pinnacle of beauty in creation: people.  Here, life is fast paced and busy.  There's usually a strong hint of urgency and don't even get me started about driving behaviors...  But people are beautiful.  I noticed the beauty of a friendly conversation and even in silent communication: sometimes a smile is all it takes to wish someone well.

I love to people watch.  It's so wild to think that every person who passes you by is unique and beautiful, unrepeatable, precious, loved by God, and made in His image and likeness.  I find myself wanting to get to know them...  If only we could take the time to sit down with someone and learn about them.  Not factual information like what their major is, where they were born, and what the craziest thing they've ever done is, but really get to know them.  What makes them happiest?  Why does a particular sighting, color, or object fill them with such excitement? {is it connected with a pleasant experience in childhood?}  What is their favorite childhood memory, or who is their favorite person in all the world {and why}?  Every person has a story to tell.  And that includes each person you see on the street.

Our area is filled with people busily trying to get from one place to the next.  But what would happen if we observed just one person who actually took the time to enjoy life?

I leave you {and me} with a little challenge: a couple of weeks ago, I experienced a particularly difficult few days.  Looking back, I realize with confidence that the highlight of those few days was the holy hour I made in the midst of them.  Make time for God and enjoy the gifts He's given you in creation.  The nature, the sky, birds, fish, even squirrels are here for our enjoyment as God's gifts to us:  enjoy them.

"If you are too busy to pray, you are too busy."

BL. TERESA OF CALCUTTA