Beholding

Sunset in Amsterdam

Our woods

There are dark misty days in this sea-bordered country, the moisture of which can dampen the spirits of any young transplant. Grey feelings, the likes of melancholia and loneliness, can occupy these similarly colored days. After a bit, however, I strove against these feelings  choosing instead to look for the beauty hidden in the fog all because of something that my wise mum once told me before I left home: The best tool for battling any desolate emotion is thankfulness. As I began to look, I developed an admiration for the moist droplets on the leaves and petals of the immaculate Dutch gardens, a black bird's silhouette against the clear white-grey of the sky and the opportunities to take walks under an umbrella only to return to a warm home. Since those first days, I have continued searching for beauty. Look for it in a cup of fragrant German tea, the passionate cry of a Keith Green song, a tree bark's gnarled grace, the woolen cabled-ness of a sweater, a well-kept home and a simple "Hallo!" from a stranger. It can also be found in the grooves of an old brick wall, a forgotten mushroom on the forest floor, the swish of a bike chain or the satisfaction of a meal well-made. It would seem that this new practice is not only enriching me, but also the process of learning this new culture. The acknowledgement of these aspects of life is not only a generation of joy and contentment, but greater insight is gained and true appreciation is given to the Maker of Beauty through this recognition.  Many times I forget to look and be thankful... but when I remember to again, I can't imagine why I left off.

An old spiral staircase

Autumn

  

    A wee mushroom found by Peter