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A Celebration of Beauty
By Maria M. Perez-Boudet

On the last weekend in October, Dawn and I, with Amalia and Juan, my friends for over 30 years, drove to North Carolina as our gift to Dawn for her birthday. The gift God gave us was a celebration of Creation. We were surrounded by abundance and magnificence that words cannot describe. We were struck by the beauty God places at our feet daily.

The red, yellow, orange, and brown trees splashed across the mountains formed colors that have no name and reminded us of the beauty of difference and uniqueness that we each have. The colors of autumn were at their peak in some places, and in the past in others, and in still others, in the 'not yet'.

We were in awe of powerful waterfalls, and their rushing, thundering energy that is a whisper of the Energy and Essence we carry within. They nurtured our souls, reflecting a tranquility while bursting in magnificence and potentiality, a mirror of our self. We felt blessed with all of Creation.

The Gift of the Unexpected

One of the most wonderful gifts was the gift of the unexpected. On our way to one of our favorite streams in the Great Smoky National Park, I suggested that we take the extra 7-mile drive up the mountain to Clingman's Dome, the highest elevation in that area of the park. As we continued up the mountain, the trees were bare and I almost told Dawn to turn around, but decided the panoramic view of the mountains from the top would be a treat for all of us. The sky was a brilliant blue and without a cloud. All of a sudden, Dawn said she saw something that looked like small hail. We pulled off onto a narrow stretch of grass and got out. Instead of hail, we were showered with flakes of snow, swirling up the mountain and through the trees. We saw evergreen trees in the distance full of snow. We couldn't believe it -- white trees, blue sky, no clouds, and snow even where there were no trees with snow on the branches! It seemed like we were in a fairytale land. It was as if God unfolded both mystery and a message to each of us.

Labels and Judgements

The message to me was that we should not be fooled by what we label as ugliness, or deadness. Within every event, God desires to give us the mystery of beauty contained in the same moment. Every thing, every event, every person, is an opportunity for us to see God's love for us. We just have to continue on even when things look barren, and open our eyes to discover the unexpected gift.

Search for Perfection

I was reminded of what I would call a mystical experience I had about 15 years ago on another of our mountain trips. That year, the leaves were also at their peak, and I was desperate to find 'the perfect leaf' to bring home. Each time I thought I had spotted one, as I started to pick it, I saw that it had brown or black spots. I chose another and it was broken in one place. Another was dried out at one end. After two days of diligent searching for my 'perfect leaf', I came to place that overlooked a hillside vibrant with all the colors.

I was breathless and tears came to my eyes as I realized that perhaps that is God's experience of us and all of Creation. We are seen in different shades, hues, intensities, shapes, but in the unity of beauty that is perfection, God is really not searching for spots or defects we might see so magnified. God looks at the wondrous beauty and says, "Look at what I've created -- how good it is!" We are the ones who look for our version of the"perfect leaf" in ourselves and in each other, and of course we cannot find it. Fifteen years ago, I saw the simplicity of God's unity and love for all of us. Today, God still reminds me how awesome is the the Divine Mystery that surrounds me everywhere I go.

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You may use this article on your site or ezine for non-commercial purposes, but must include the following: ©Maria M. Perez-Boudet is a professor of Spanish at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida.