The Simple Things

The Simple Things

I believe in the beauty of the simple things. A butterfly on a flower, birds in the snow, a child twirling in the breeze, and the old couple holding hands after church all share the ability to make me smile. They teach me to enjoy life and remind me to soak up every moment.

I believe by stopping to see the beauty in the small things, everyone can learn to appreciate the world. I dare you to watch the sun go down and not let it boggle your mind. Witnessing the last sun rays reach across the sky to kiss the evening star goodbye will make you forget your troubles. Watching the sun leave the world in darkness in a few minutes is a marvel to me.

The first time I really looked at it I couldn’t believe how fast it happened; the sun simply vanished behind the horizon in seconds. Watching the sun disappear so quickly made me realize how quickly I could disappear. I realized that the end of my existence is as inevitable as the setting sun. So, I chose to enjoy every moment on earth and start thanking God for every sunset.

When I saw life this way, I analyzed my own daily thought process. I caught myself worrying about things like my next exam, my friend’s sick dog, and my wallet being empty. But then I looked around on my way to class and saw the preschool kids talking to squirrels on the playground, and I stopped worrying and started appreciating the squirrels too, but without the dialogue. Now every day when I walk by that playground I look at the children’s precious faces, and remember to stop worrying and give thanks.

Today, I believe too many people get busy and forget to look at the beautiful world that we live in. No one stops to see the leaves change color anymore, and parents no longer rake them into a pile for their kids to dive into. No one stops to watch the sunset because they are too busy stopping at McDonald’s to pick up dinner. No one even stops to let the little squirrels run across the street, until it is too late.

When was the last time you paused to watch a squirrel run up a tree, or birds make a nest? Chances are you may have tried to chase the squirrel up the tree and away from your bird feeder, or swept the bird’s nest off your front porch. It is easy to get carried away with daily housekeeping, but it is just as easy to appreciate nature’s miracles too. I believe if you begin embracing the simplicity of the world around you, you will be grateful and begin living your life in peace. This is what I believe.