I have spent a week away surrounded by the most amazing natural beauty. When I wake in the morning I can see the sea, hear the crash of the waves, the patter of the rain on the tin roof, smell the eucalypt trees. We get in the car and travel for no time at all and we see amazing native forest, stunning rugged coastline, and the other evening as we walked back from the beach there was a kangaroo sitting on the side of the path looking at us quizzically.
I love it all. I am soaking in the natural beauty, the wonder of creation. I am breathing salty air, getting my troubles blown away by inclement September storms, enjoying the wonder of my children as they discover the beauty of a cave or seashells on the beach. It is restoring me, bringing peace and calm to my soul.
And on the eve of our return home, I am worried. Worried that a return to our suburban house and our usual routine will cause me to lose this sense of calm.
You see, here, you can’t help but notice the beauty of creation. It is in your face, all around you. Literally I cannot step out the door, no scrub that … I can’t even open the curtains without an amazing view, natural wonder literally on the doorstep.
There is a danger that without this beauty so prevalent, so obvious, I will forget to notice, to appreciate the wonder of this world. The beauty down here is large, loud and magnificent, the ocean is wild and the trees tower.
My everyday has a much gentler beauty, the tamed and fragile beauty of a suburban garden. The scents are roses, rosemary and other fresh herbs, my vistas are the neighbours’ roofs and gardens, and the wildlife is mostly birds with the occasional visit from a neighbour’s cat.
So as I travel back tomorrow, I am determined to drink in every last view, every last glimpse of this amazing scenery, but also to try to remember to look for the beauty in my everyday. Appreciating the wonder and beauty in the little things, I think it is going to be harder than appreciating the big, but I have an inkling it just might bring me the same sense of calm.
What a great picture of you 3. What beautiful words! It reminded me of living in Paris… Because I had AMAZING -albeit very urban- beauty around me all of the time, but it was my life. So I didn’t see it, except when overseas friends came to visit.
I think it is more about the time we give ourselves to open our eyes wherever we are than the actual location. I’m sure there are people who live right there in that holiday spot and they don’t see what you see. they go to work, feed their kids, go to bed. You reminded me that I dont want to pass beauty, wherever I am. xxx
That’s why you should move to the Pilbara. It’s around you every day 🙂