Day 7: Beauty [Be Gentle, Be Kind

It is so so so cliche to say that you see beauty in your kids. I used to think that people that said stuff like that all the time are ridiculous. That of course is really about the inner beauty of them--what is inside of them makes them beautiful. I've personally known people that if I just looked at them I would think average or worse if I was basing it solely on looks. BUT, when I get to know them their "inner beauty" shines so much that any perceived shortcomings I first saw on the outside are so overshadowed. Appreciating my kids and others that just shine to me is just one way I enhance my inner beauty.

Some other ways:

• reading. this is one of the most important ways i keep my sanity. it helps that i chose a profession that has directly to do with it
• helping others i don't necessarily like. its easy to help people i like, but a challenge to help those that i feel have something fundamentally wrong with them. its about them and not me
• taking hot showers. i felt that these were essential for my well being well before i read the article (almost 10 years ago now) that says that negative ions are good for emotional well being 
• pray. i love how wikipedia describes prayer: "prayer may be directed towards a deity, spirit, deceased person, or lofty idea, for the purpose of worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins or to express one's thoughts and emotions." At one time or another I've done any number of combinations of these sentence. Lately its more a projection of thought rather than praying to a specific person or being.

In my purse right now is a pamphlet from a friend of mine's husband. They are religious in ways that many in America, while not finding offensive, ridicule. Let's just say I'm sure she's heard jokes about showing up to people's houses.

The view from an old apartment of mine... she never knocked on the door (that I know of)

The pamphlet is about prayer. Now my friend knows that I don't believe what she believes (a UU version of Jehovah's Witness? probably not). But I love how she reaches out to me. In the pamphlet it lists a couple of ways how to pray, what to pray about, and examples of how prayer help. I know some people that would have thrown the pamphlet out, but I read it... at least the article her and her husband thought I might like. Why would I do that knowing its not going to change my mind? Because this woman's heart shines in so many ways. She's given me food when I'm hungry, clothes when I needed to be clothed, love when love was no longer available from my mother... she has been equal parts friend, mother, spiritual advisor. It comforts me to know that she prays for me even though I don't think the prayers will do all that good or that the God she prays to I don't believe in. In fact, I think her belief in God is what helps make her a good person. I'm glad to know there are people like her.