I wrote this post a few months ago, and my perfectionistic tendencies get in the way of publishing.  But here goes..

I am in the beautiful mountains of Beaver Creek Colorado, and with so many other things to think about while my husband is working, I am moved to write.

It has been a quiet trip.  An introspective trip.  But mostly a trip to regroup and relax.

Beauitiful meadows are blanketed with persimmon, periwinkle and gold flowers fluttering in the breeze.  Among all this beauty, I hear a distant bird call that I wonder what type of bird it is.  Since I have been cognizant of birds-particularly sparrows- lately (hence the blog name), I wonder if it is a sparrow.   I did a little research, and soon had information about the mountian sparrow, also known as the tree sparrow  with its’ unique call.  Of course, the sparrow is poignant to me and I find myself tuned in, listening to the beautiful and melodic sounds of birdtalk in the Rockies.

With that backdrop in mind, I write.  I am a sucker for beauty, and find a lump in my throat frequently due to scenes or sounds that awaken my senses.  There are times I share these feelings that well up, and there are times that I selfishly roll them up inside myself, hoarding them for another time.

There is an innate need for beauty in our lives.  A delicious pause to commemorate the divine.  Beauty lifts and inspires us.  I am not talking about the beauty of long-legged cat walk beauty–although there is something to be said of proportions of human beauty and the golden ratio,  I am talking about all different kinds of beauty:  the beauty of a beautiful painting or architecture that lifts eyes to heaven, and the beauty of music and prose.  And as I witness here, now– the beauty of nature and the masterful artistry of the Divine.

I listened to a powerful speech the other day by BYU Professor of Fine Arts, Robert Barrett  about the need for Beauty, entitled “Illuminated Stories”.   I would like to highlight a few of the things the speaker had to say about the subject.   “Through beauty, we are brought into the presence of the sacred...”  I believe that.  I believe that we are spiritual beings having an earthly, physical experience.  In his wonderful 2009 documentary: “Why Beauty Matters“,  philosopher Roger Scruton talks about why we as humans have an instinctive need for beauty.  There is a reason for millions to visit the Parthenon, or gaze into Mona Lisa’s eyes, to pause when a beautiful poem captures the essence of why we are here on this earth.  It’s no surprise that I have a lump in my throat as I sing Handel’s Messiah or listen to lovely music like Norweigan composer’s enthralling piece “The Ground”.

 

We are in a time of despair and sometimes downright ugliness.  The pangs of wanting something more have never been greater.  Barrett mentions the portrait of Ruby Bridges by one of my favorite artists, Norman Rockwell.  Why was she wearing such a beautiful, sparkling dress at an incredibly ugly time in history?  The alabaster shines through the armed guards, graffiti and garbabe of the time.  Rockwell was trying to remind us of the love that Ruby’s family had for her– sending her on that scary day, and of prospects of brightness in the future.

The nice thing about appreciating something that is beautiful is that there is no requirement for effort to make it more than it is.  In this mindful way, we pause and express gratitude for a reminder of who we are in this world and the good that what we are capable of.  This little mountian sparrow with its’ beautiful song, brought stillness and serenity to me today.  A small reminder of the divine mission of even a little bird to fill the measure of its creation.