Even the Blind Need Beauty

Beauty is a foreign language we all understand.

I've always believed that I had an artistic streak. Not that I claim to be an artist. Sometimes, I am able to express, through various mediums, the concepts I see in my head. Sometimes I'm not. That hasn't stopped me. Beauty is, quite simply, a life force for me.

Has it always been this way? I'm not sure. I just know that during the season of my son's illness, beauty has had a deeper impact on my psyche. In the depths of my fear, beauty alone could bring a glimpse of hope. Beauty to me is a reminder that I see imperfectly the circumstances of my life. There is more to life than pain, disillusionment, fear...There are also budding roses, the swelling ocean, glorious sunrises and sets, a child's delighted laugh...The list goes ever on. Each of us could write a book on the big and small things we consider beautiful.

Currently, I am being blessed with beauty by my parents. Let me explain. In my divorce, I was granted the family home. It was a fixer upper when it was purchased, and as my then family was a single income, the fixing up was rather limited. Two years ago, when my son was very ill, my parents modified our downstairs bath to make it easier on my son. It was functional and much appreciated. Now they are back to make the same room over. Only this time it is to bless me with a beautiful room. A few weeks ago, my parents took me shopping at a large home improvement store. You know the kind, you can get everything from construction materials to the finishing gloss. Up and down the isles we went. As I would stop to choose between two items, one of them would remind me this was their gift to me and to get what I wanted, not what I thought would work. Counting pennies has just become a way of life for me!

We are in the construction phase right now. There is mud dust all over. Left over sheet rock is piled in my den along with all the other left over bits and pieces. I'm trying to be as helpful as possible, but as I work from home, I am dividing my time between the two projects. My son is following his grandfather around learning about measuring twice, cutting once. They banter back and forth as the work progresses. This can get extremely annoying, but I love it! The easy manner of their camaraderie is a beauty in and of itself. A reminder that each day is packed full of beauty if we could but see clearly.  -Sheep M 12/17/08