Beauty in front of me,
Beauty behind me,
Beauty above me
Beauty below me
Beauty all around me,
I walk in Beauty…
This Navajo Indian prayer has long accompanied me. It came again to my mind when I visited Italy this spring on a garden tour. In the public and private parks, we were nearly overwhelmed with the sight of flowers, shrubs, and trees, landscaped in such a manner you could call the scene a piece of art. Sometimes it was the shape, sometimes the arrangement of the colors, or sometimes it was just the fragrance that imbued us. I would truly imbibe nature’s beauty with all my senses. What an incredible variety of forms from round to pointed, from shades of green to yellow, and the entire palette of red to blue to purple, and every shade in between. The sweet scent, especially of the roses, was at times so intense, I almost fainted.
Indeed, beauty was in front, behind, above and below, and all around us!
This powerful infusion made me once again realize what a magnificent world we live in. Ever since I have paid much more attention to the splendor that surrounds me. I not only see the beauty on a special trip or while on vacation but am also aware of how it surrounds me in my ordinary, everyday life. I just have to see it. Energy follows attention.
Therefore, I can now see the tiniest little flower in a heap of rubble. It just emanates whatever beauty it has, happy to be.
I can now see the majestic powerful tree, standing tall in the midst of a storm, demonstrating its flexibility by swaying its branches back and forth.
I can now see the rainbow in the leftover raindrop reflecting and glistening like a jewel.
I can now see the dragon-shaped cloud racing across the sky and imagine how adventurous it might be to take a ride.
With my eyes, I accompany the colorful and hairy caterpillar across the walkway, and I am amazed at how unerring it finds its way to the other side. It doesn’t worry about all the hazards that could happen while exposed during its crossing.
I watch a bee collecting nectar, humming from flower to flower.
I observe the old couple sitting outside their home, resting from life, simply doing nothing.
The loud chirp of a bird on a branch outside my window calls to me as if saying, stop and take a little break, relax your eyes, and gaze at the horizon.
I could go on and on…
…in the house of long life, there I wander.
In the house of happiness, there I wander.
Beauty before me,
Beauty behind me,
Beauty above me,
Beauty below me,
Beauty all around me.
In old age traveling, with it, I wander.
On the beautiful trail I am, with it, I wander.