“Think of one of your own experiences with beauty. Perhaps it was a profound and new experience . . . that left you speechless; or maybe it’s the memory of a quiet moment spent taking in the simple charms of life. We can all think of such moments, and not only for nostalgia, though that is certainly part of the joy.”- Timothy D. Willard
In Chapter 6 (“Walking the Path: How Chasing Beauty Can Transform Our Lives”) of The Beauty Chasers, Timothy Willard tells of his flight in a single propeller plane to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska. While natives refer to the area as the Alaskan Bush, Timothy viewed it as the middle of nowhere. A friend invited the author to his cabin in the remote Alaskan wilderness for rest and retreat.
And as the little plane touched down and Timothy exited, Timothy relates that the smell of pine blew into him faster than he could breathe. All he could do was smile. No words came. Because it felt wrong to talk.
Therefore, Timothy presents three important keys to remember:
1. There is more to the world than material reality. The richness of our vision compounds when we contemplate as well as learn from what we see. However, the author counsels, this requires patience and time. So, quit the hurry and find your contemplative sweet spot.
2. We cannot manufacture beauty or mass-produce it. Instead, Timothy notes, the gift of beauty travels like lightning across time and space. Thus, beauty defies attempts to bottle it. In addition, it takes toil and mastery to produce something beautiful.
3. Our intuition tells us that beauty reaches beyond our senses and impressions to chase the Source. No despair, pain, or disappointment stops the Beauty Chaser. Rather, the Beauty Chaser fights through it all to bring the hope he/she visualizes. Finally, the Beauty Chaser lives as a beacon of joy.
Today’s question: Please share one of your own experiences with beauty.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Liturgical setting: rhythm of existence”
