I listened to a podcast this week in which author John Eldredge acknowledges the entire world has been through a trauma with the Covid pandemic. He goes on (at about the 20:00 mark) to discuss the pursuit of beauty, saying beauty “is so important to healing trauma”.
I’m a big fan of beauty and the pursuit of it. Now we’re not talking about making ourselves all look like supermodels. It’s about finding beauty in art of all kinds, nature, situations, everyday ordinary life.
Sometimes we’re appreciating God’s creation, sometimes our own, sometimes that of other humans.
There can be beauty in chaos and disorder. Maybe in the form of a silver lining, maybe just in the scattered pattern of things.
Peter noted there is beauty in “a gentle and quiet spirit”.
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. ~1 Peter 3:3-4
There is beauty in Godincidences or Godwinks, as some people call them. Those little signs and reminders that seem to come from the almighty. Seriously, there’s a trilogy of Godwink movies on the Hallmark channel.
Even Madonna noted, “Beauty’s where you find it.”
I hadn’t thought of beauty as a way of healing trauma, but it makes sense. Going for a walk and spending time in nature are hugely therapeutic. (Or staring through the window at it during pollen season.)
Perhaps counting your blessings is a way of pursuing beauty. We could all benefit from more of that, I suppose.
Until next time, think about where there is beauty in your life. And if you’re not seeing it, look harder.
I’ll be on hiatus for a bit, pursuing some beauty to appreciate. See you sometime in June.
