Sometimes There's Just Beauty

Sometimes things are just beautiful. Today was like that. This afternoon during my after-school job at Victory Rd. Christian Academy, I sat outside in a chair while my four little after-school kids played on the playground. I was surrounded by a glorious autumn day. The air was warm in the late-afternoon sun, but there was a shiver in the shade. The kids' happy voices ebbed and flowed as they played a game of their own making, the sole rule of which basically seemed to be, 'gather as many pretty "weafs" as you can, as fast as you can, and whoever has the most at the end wins'.

It was the type of afternoon that gets the 'writing blood' flowing briskly - sleepy but stirring, beautiful but bitter-sweet somehow. The kind that makes you (or, me, at least) think about all the beauty Christ has put into life. Into my life. And makes me want to write about it.

When I think of "beauty", the ultimate in beauty is human beauty. People are so beautiful. Just last night, I was around some of the most beautiful people I've ever laid eyes on. Beauty of the heart, yes definitely (and most importantly), and yet also beauty of the physical. Hollywood's most 'attractive' people have nothing on some of the people I know personally. And the big thing is, they don't even know it.

I love how people look when they are concentrating on something important to them. The passion in their eyes - that intense almost light that shines out. I love their determination to get something. Not "get" as in "aquire", but "get" as in "understand", "master", or "succeed at".
I love how they smile when they are relaxed and comfortable and at ease.
Their easy grace when talking with friends or their laughter when sharing an inside joke that you'd just have to have been there to understand.
I love how they let go and just be themselves sometimes. Not in inappropriate ways, don't misunderstand! In ways that don't let cultural 'rules' keep them from doing what they feel like is right.
How the voices of people sound who have been through such difficulty and inner struggle that it was almost literally unbearable, but who the Lord gently led through. How they sound confident, not cocky and arrogant, but calm, unruffled, gentle, wise, and simply honest.

I sat in the chair, thinking these thoughts, or at least some that were very much like them. Thinking about 'my people'. I thought back over the week. A really great week, actually.
I wrote a little in my catch-all notebook, to transfer to my journal later.

Sometimes there are hard days. Sad days. Days where things happen that demand your attention and keep you focused on hurt and dark and cold and ugly. But those are not the only kind. There are beautiful days. Days like today. And yesterday. And if the Lord did not allow the ugly days sometimes, would we appreciate the beautiful ones that He sends us?

The late-afternoon sun shone on little kids gathering leaves.