5 Things That I Find Beautiful

I am posting on things I find lovely.

I offer no apologies.

The explanation, however, is that sometimes I must remind myself.

I shall now create a list.

List–Things that are Beautiful

1. Flowers…

Such bright colors! I bought these. They light up my living room…and my life.

(I realized I should add a note because otherwise it seems strange that I would buy flowers for myself. NOT STRANGE. I like flowers. It is my mother who reminds not to wait for “someone special” to buy you things. You should buy them yourself and live the life you want.)

2. So a coworker introduced me to the wonderful world that is Christopher Smart. From what I can gather Christopher Smart was a poet who was considered insane and therefore put in an insane assylum (whaaaaat?!?).

However, his poems are making me smile up and down these days. Read this portion of one written about his cat, Jeoffry:

For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffry (excerpt, Jubilate Agno) For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry. For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him. For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way. For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness. For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer. For he rolls upon prank to work it in. For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself. For this he performs in ten degrees. For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean. For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there. For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended. For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood. … (it continues, too!)

3. Kenney
There is an elderly afro-American gentleman at my wee daily-mass parish who is darling. Example: when I returned home from El Salvador he hugged my shoulder and whispered me a poem about ships who return to their homes.

!! So sweet.

Another time he sang the “I Come to the Garden Alone” hymn and from then I knew…we were friends.

He’s been telling me he had an article about El Salvador he wanted me to read, but I kept forgetting to bring my USB drive to him so he could make me an (electronic) copy. So, yesterday, as he circulated the congregation and collected the gifts he tapped me on my shoulder and gave me a piece of paper and a USB drive.

The paper was a letter where he explained that he had collected articles that inspired him and pictures of people from around the world. He wanted me to share in the beauty he had found. So, he gifted me with a USB drive full of these things.

I was so touched.

I firmly believe that God is beauty. And so–he has shared God.

>4. Holy Father

Yesterday my friend Alexa tweeted at me–a video of our Holy Father.

I watched it and then called my younger sister over to our screen. We sat in the same chair and she put her arm around my neck…choke-hold style (this is how she demonstrates affection) and we watched it together.

My sister and I attended our first World Youth Day together, sitting under the night sky in a field in Germany. We heard this pope around our little camping radio, cheered when he spoke to us in English.

I reflected upon this as I sat in my living room in my sister’s choke-hold. When the pope switched to English, we silently cheered together (our parents were sleeping) because it was so much…so much love. We love the Holy Father, we love our happy experiences of odd adventures across the world, we love each other.

I will say it again: I will miss this Holy Father.

5. Lodging

STUFF IS COMING TOGETHER FOR THE CAMINO. Only last night it wasn’t and I went to bed tense because I couldn’t find lodging for my SEVENTEEN pilgrims in a certain town. So: I prayed hard. And this morning two hostels responded that they think they can house us. Miracles!!

6. Bonus number six! Fresh cookies!

This perplexes me, but he says it.

So, today I made cookies…oatmeal and cranberries and white chocolate chips. Full of gluten (so I won’t eat them) but also full of love (so the rest of the family will).

Happy Lent, Josh.

Seek beauty,
Nell