What is Beautiful?
What is the most beautiful time of the year? Is it Autumn, when the colors of the leaves are like a rainbow? Is it Winter, when everything is graced white with snow? Is it Spring, when all the flowers are in full bloom? Is it Summer, when all life is at its peak — fully alive?
As I went for my morning walk today, I noticed that nothing looked very visually appealing. It’s mid-November. All, or at least most of, the leaves have fallen. The ones that are still clinging on look…embarrassing — like they’re too scared to make the jump. The sky was overcast. Though some parts of the country have been hit hard, there is no snow on the ground here in Chicago.
And…it’s cold. It’s just kind of a blah day. Not ideal for a picnic, that’s for sure.
Then, I had this thought. It’s almost as if the leaves have gone south for the winter. They’ve gone to where it’s more exciting. (I hear a Monty Python scene coming on… “Are you suggesting that leaves migrate?”)
Obviously that’s not the case, but they are no longer here, yet they will return next Spring when the weather gets nice again. They are fair-weather vegetation.
That’s all fine and dandy, but what struck me was the fact that the trees are still here — left to endure the cold harsh winter by themselves, like a parent whose children have left for college. They’re not going anywhere. It’s not pretty out. It’s not “fun”. In fact, it’s a little boring…at first glance. That is, if you’re used to being a party animal (like those fancy leaves)!
No, the trees are the mature ones. They are the ones that stay put while the prodigal children run off and play.
I felt a lesson in the whole thing. Sometimes life just isn’t pretty. Sometimes it’s boring…and that’s okay! Sometimes you just gotta “stick it out” (wait for it…wait for it…) through the tough times. The times when you’re not getting all the attention. The times when things seem lonely and subdued. When there’s nothing but re-runs on TV. (Remember those days? Those pre-Netflix days?)
It’s at times like those — when the children are away — that you can take a deeper look at and celebrate the depth of the character of what remains. Clear the clutter! Take away the glam and the glitz! Take a look at what’s underneath — what’s supporting the whole thing. It may not be pretty, but it is…beautiful!