Thee Beautiful Things: 8/12/08
1. The enormous possibility in a first grader’s unopened, fresh pack of crayons.
2. An entire school hallways teeming with nervous, excited, giddy first graders going into their brand-new classrooms for the first time.
3. Crisp, smiling teachers ready to greet them warmly upon their arrival at orientation, even though they probably feel like they have a million things to before school starts.
Crisp Beauty
- A perfect day for visiting an apple orchard — beautiful clear sky above a ground that was green mixed with a golden hue. The transition to autumn has clearly begun.
Walking down the rows to find just the right apples hidden among the branches.
My son snuggling into my shoulder on the wagon ride back from the field, tuckered out from the excitement.
Just three beautiful things from a very beautiful day of fun.
Visit these people who are also admiring beauty: Mo, and Lady Thinker.
Beautiful Monday
Three beautiful things from today’s minutes included:
1. Stretching out on my recliner to watch a video with my kids. When I asked “who wants to sit with me,” both of them found a way to pile themselves onto me. We were a cozy little pile of movie-watchers enjoying the cuddle.
2. The nightly little ritual that my daughter and I have developed is that I get to tell her “what to dream about” right at the end of her day when I kiss her goodnight. I’ve found that her favorite theme is to be some kind of an animal, usually pregnant and on the verge of giving birth. Tonight, if she follows my suggestion, it’s a horse.
3. My little son had more trouble getting to sleep tonight than usual. After a lot of crying on his part, it felt so good when he finally relaxed against my shoulder for that last hug of the night.
Here are some other people celebrating the beautiful things in their lives: Desert Diva, Chai, and Amelia.
3BT: 9/9/07
1. Sitting out on the front walkway with my daughter, who suddenly decided that she was an expert in grass and “flowers.” She began picking different blades of grass and weeds and explaining each one’s name and special characteristics. She was so focused on making each one unique and amazing.
2. “Look, Daddy! The sun is so beautiful and orange as it’s setting. Isn’t it beautiful?”
3. After dinner, we went back outside and had a twilight dance on the driveway. She had changed into a pastel easter dress and put on red velvet Christmas shoes. She was the Princess and I was the Prince she chose to marry out of all the princes there. I got to dance with the beautiful Princess while everyone watched. They all knew that she picked me.
Inspired by Three Beautiful Things.
3BT - Sept 5
1. A cooling summer shower bringing some much needed rain!
2. A student making a great effort in class and pushing herself past her normal “comfort zone.”
3. Warm brownies fresh from the oven.
Three Beautiful Things - Sept. 4
1. My daughter, her backpack big on her tiny body, boldly walking by herself into kindergarten.
2. My two-year-old son, sitting in a high chair, calling out “Daddy!” when he saw me come home from work today. Shortly after that, “My love you!”
3. My wife, kissing our kids before she left for work tonight… then remembering to kiss me too.
It’s a Beautiful Day
I am inspired by the site Three Beautiful Things to post three things that made me happy today.
1. I attend a comtemporary church where we sing pretty loud praise music complete with sort of “rocking” drums and a bass guitar. It’s geared toward a younger audience. I am always moved seeing our senior citizen members praising full-out with the rest of us.
2. My son, after a pretty thorough tickling session: “Tickle me again!”
3. The sparkle in my dad’s eyes as we laugh, cracking each other up.
About This Blog
In Thornton Wilder’s play Our Town, the central character dies an early death. Emily is given the chance to revisit a day of her life and is advised by those in the afterlife to pick an ordinary day, warning her that she might be overcome otherwise. Still, Emily is overwhelmed with emotion as she recognizes how wonderful the everyday details of her existence were. Her daily routine takes on new significance now that it is gone. Through her tears, she asks:
Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it– every, every minute?
With this blog, I am trying to fully “realize” my life by documenting the things that I love. I want to appreciate and examine my past and present, as well as plan actively for the future.
I hope to accentuate the positive in my life and in the world around me, with the hope that by focusing on the positive, I will draw more positive elements into my life. Or, at least, realize all of the blessings that I do have.
Bob, the author of this blog, is a 33 year old husband, father, son, teacher, Christian, and liberal.
