Beautiful Optimism

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Art"

Today was a gray and snowy day. More snow. More cold. Easy to get discouraged and disgruntled as a citizen of Massachusetts where we already have 20 more inches of snow this winter than we did last. It is also really easy to get moody, even depressed. The winter doldrums. A good time to look to the above quote which I have tacked to my inspiration board above my desk in my office.

Find the beauty.

More miracles.
Gazillions (ok, may be an exaggeration) of snowflakes falling from the sky each different from the next and any that came before.
An untouched world of sparkling white.
Trying to catch snowflakes on your tongue.
Reason to hold those you love a little tighter, keep them warm and close.
Rosy cheeks.
Snow becomes water to feed the roots of the flowers so they'll bloom in spring.
Quiet stillness.

Just like that, the beauty is found.

As Albert Camus said, "In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer."