GOLF FEST- 3
As you know, I named my Dominican Republic visit part 1 of Golf Fest 2003 and I've already reported some of the things I learned in the Dominican. This week I'm writing about beauty. We all love beauty, look for beauty, but we don't always find it. It's easy to find in a resort or on a golf course or by the ocean or in a garden. In the Dominican, I experienced a week of beauty; every moment was filled with beauty., In fact, things were so beautiful I wondered how I could face the real world where it's not so easy to find beauty. We have to deal with things that aren't so beautiful: angry bosses, disgruntled co-workers, rude fellow students, the "man on the street". Our everyday lives are often filled with long commutes, dreary office space, tedious and repetitive work. How do we find beauty in these situations?
I've learned a basic lesson: Beauty is everywhere if we look for it. In every situation I've experienced it's possible to find beauty. The angry boss doubtless has the ability to calm down if approached correctly and there's beauty in our contribution to making the boss less angry. The disgruntled co-workers usually are missing some perceived necessity and we can help them find it. Rude fellow students can be taught courtesy. A smile to the man on the street often produces a responsive smile. All of these things are beautiful, if we accept them as such.
Even if we can't find beauty in these interactions there's beauty in the ugliest of surroundings, if we look for it. In the grayest of pavements, flowers sometimes pop up. In the worst of people, there's usually a redeeming feature. Many people who aren't beautiful on the outside are beautiful in their thoughts, their morality, their souls, if you will. It took me many years to understand the beauty of the desert. The apparently endless sand is filled with life. Life is beauty. And even if no obvious beauty is present, we can enjoy the beauty of shapes, such as the different shapes of windows, or of fleeting smiles, or of others' efforts to find beauty, or the wonder in children's eyes as they see things we might find ugly. If we are willing to look, beauty is everywhere.
But the most important thing to remember is that wherever we are, whatever is happening around us, we can find beauty in our own minds. If we recognize the power our minds give us to transcend our surroundings, to go beyond life's events, however unpleasant, we will always be surrounded by beauty. In our minds, we can create whatever we want. The most beautiful surroundings and people in our pasts are always with us and, if that's not enough, we can create a beautiful world of our hopes and dreams.
Look for beauty wherever you go, whatever you do. If you can't find it outside of you, look for it in your mind. Then you're sure to find it.
6-2-03
Home Page 2003 Archives 2002 Archives 2001 Archives 2000 Archives 1999 Archives