Sometimes beauty brushes by so swiftly we can barely grasp its presence. And then it alights nearby for a second and we are undone, waiting with bated breath for a greater unfurling.
I feel like that every time I spy a butterfly, hoping she will stay a while as I try to capture her presence in my midst. Not only do I want to watch her flight, mesmerised as I commit the sight to mind, I also want to see her hovering still, perched over a plant, draped over flowers and caught within the frame of my camera lens.
Beauty will do that to you. It demands attention even as it is quietly invading your moments. The more we look, the more we will be able to see traces of beauty in the everyday, and our gratitude will grow as we marvel anew at all God has given us to appreciate.
[bctt tweet=”The more we look, the more we will be able to see traces of beauty in the everyday”]
I’ve been on a quest for a few years now, especially since joining Instagram. My days are constrained, limited and largely housebound, but seeing and taking an image, pondering and penning thoughts helps to develop greater appreciation for God’s hand at work, His grace in the commonplace.
My appreciation of creation’s beauty brings me joy and lends itself well to writing poetry…
A passing papillon
I watch a feathery flutter-by
Air stirs soft when winged by a moth
or tinged by a butterfly, each movement
sing-whispering through a gentle breeze
Every schmetterling is a wondrous
thing indeed, perfectly formed to be
living poetry. Their gracious
dance mirrored by swaying trees
©JoyLenton2016
In case you’re wondering at the terminology in the poem above, names for butterflies include:
- Mariposa – Spanish
- Schmetterling – German
- Borboleta – Portuguese
- Papillon – French
- Farfalla – Italian
- Babochka – Russian (sounds like Babushka – grandma!)
Intriguingly, they’re all lilting 3 syllable sounds which are as delicate and soft as a butterfly’s wings.
[bctt tweet=”We all delight in creation’s ability to waken us to wonder, to God and to His grace”]
Seeing beauty is no chore. It’s a precursor to joy. We all delight in creation’s ability to waken us to wonder, to God and to His grace. So I go cloud chasing, sunset snooping and wonder watching as a deliberate pursuit of the good, excellent, praiseworthy things that lift my soul.
My husband thinks I’m mad, most likely the neighbour would concur. But I’ve grown less concerned about their opinion as I sneak outside (often in my pyjamas), hover on the doorstep, or scrunch close to a window, and generally act like a curious visitor to our small plot.
In taking photos of anything that catches the eye as interesting, fascinating and a thing of beauty, I am always enthralled by how much there is to be found. How are you seeing beauty in the everyday? I’d love to hear in the comments below.
Welcome to #day13 of #31days of journeying into joy – a series being hosted predominantly on my sister site poetryjoy.com – although a few posts are being shared here as well. You can click the link above to catch up with the rest of the series there.
Words of Joy 