The Beauty of the Unexpected

Last week, I was walking my dog in the woods.  The middle of nowhere.  Not a car or a house to be seen and we came upon this:


Someone had dragged decorations into the woods and magically transformed a small area into a wonderland - never knowing if anyone would see it and perhaps never expecting anyone would. There was no fanfare, no neon signs directing you to the display, no one selling tickets.  And for that very reason, it was incredibly beautiful and touching.

In our determination to control and plan the perfect this and the best that, we forget that the most important and beautiful things unfold without our doing anything and happen outside of our control.  We need only to be, to listen, to slow down enough to behold them.

Our companion animals bring us these moments every day.  In sickness and in health.  In the way they bury their faces in new fallen snow with such glee and complete abandon.  In the way they touch a paw to our arm as we lay suffering in bed.  In the way they look into our eyes, soul to soul, at the very hardest moments.

As you busy yourself with caring for your family and your companions, take care of the immediate needs and crises, run from one place to another, fret about this or that, be sure you open your heart and your eyes to the beauty of the unexpected.  It is there every day and even on the darkest days.  I promise.