We are becoming a people harder and harder to please. Because we are saturated with ideas, information, and images from across the world, we expect things on demand.
High speed Internet, food delivery, buy online. Even our art and architecture has suffered. Speed is the great factor. How fast can I shed these pounds, clean the house, listen to a book? We think speed means we will get more accomplished and that is the sign of success. No matter that the work isn’t done well, that we don’t put our best effort forth trying to get through all the things. Who has time for beauty in a go, go, go world?
I would argue that we need moments of beauty. Something to turn our gaze on and marvel at, both the talent of the craftsmen and the work itself. Of all the things God created, humans are the only ones he gave the ability to create and enjoy the creation. We alone can recognize the unique work put into the Taj Mahal or St. Paul’s Cathedral. We can wonder at the skill displayed in the Sistine Chapel ceiling or the sculptures of DaVinci. We can stare at the changing colors of a sunset or the grandeur of mountains and realize how small we are.
Perfection isn’t listed in the definition of beauty. The dictionary defines beauty as being pleasing to the mind or senses. Often something is beautiful despite its imperfection, like a tree with oddly angling limbs.
We define many things as beautiful — people, art, words, things — but we don’t all see beauty the same way. For some people, it takes a great talent and larger than life effort. For others beauty equals flawlessness, perfection. But whatever we choose to call “beautiful,” I’m afraid it’s becoming more rare. In part because, as mentioned above, we have become too busy to notice or appreciate it. And we are too busy to create it.
Beauty shouldn’t have to be extreme for us to appreciate. Beauty can be found in simple things. Birds flocking to a feeder, children playing a game, sunlight dancing off piles of snow. The challenge is to look around and notice it. Imagine someone walking through the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles Palace and only noticing the flaws in her own reflection in all the mirrors instead of the room and mirrors themselves. We would think she’s ridiculous!
But going through our day gloomy, downcast, and negative when we are surrounded by creation is just as ridiculous. Or talking ourselves out of creative pursuits because we aren’t as talented as someone else, instead of grabbing a brush or pen or needle and thread and just trying!
Photo by Paige Cody on Unsplash
