The rusty old gate

Continuing with my theme, this weekend during all my driving and observing of the rural landscapes, one thing stuck out to me. What I perceive as beautiful. Growing up my Mom used to always tell me I had to choose to see the glass as half full. It never really made sense. But yesterday as I drove through Clifton I found myself looking for the group of iris growing by the rusty gate that I had seen Friday. It was beautiful. Others might see the decrepit fence, the rusty gate hanging off its hinges and never even notice the flowers. Of perhaps, if they are truly negative then they would see the flowers and think about the family that used to be there. Me, I see the flowers and am in awe of how they have survived. Against that rusty gate they stick out and signify the goodness in life, the goodness of God. There is no one to cultivate those flowers...no one to water or fertilize them~but they are there. They have what they need and they bloom despite the odds. When I pass a field I see freedom. When the sky is overcast, I think about taking pictures because the clouds diffuse the light in a perfect way that only God could orchestrate. I take pictures of kids in bluebonnets in a cemetery because it is the circle of life and to me, it is breathtakingly beautiful. Even though I don't always see the glass as half full~ I can pretty much always see the beauty in life. Which is why there are hand prints on the pictures, there are smudges of dirt on the wall. There are scraps of paper, tucked away safely in boxes in the closet. The fridge in covered in photos and there is constantly a load of laundry on my couch. All of these things are life to me. The comforts of knowing my family is near and loved. Today I hope you can all see the beauty in your lives and I pray that my vision continues to fixate on these things instead of the rusty old gate.