I have learned to drive on the freeway or walk through the city while blocking out every man-made visual image that screams “Buy This!” “Watch That!” “Call Us!” “Park Here!” “Stay Here” “Enter Now!” “Big Sale!” But with my overloaded brain sifting out all the meaningless stuff, I’m in danger of throwing out the beauty with the bathwater. So I almost missed these New York blossoms in bloomin’ New York! I think our spirits are starving for a little more beauty. Not the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World kind of beauty. Not the fancy car or expensive house or perfectly-applied eyeliner kind. The real, God-made beauty in the world. The roses that bloom wherever they can kind of beauty. The silent persistence of a barely-noticed snail crossing the sidewalk kind of beauty. The smile on a passing face kind. The sound of an understanding voice on the other end of the line kind. The hold the door for a stranger kind of beauty. It’s all there if you decide to look for it and then take a moment to really see it for what it is: true beauty with only one purpose: to bless, not impress. It takes time to break old habits and start looking for beauty among the weeds. But once I do, it gets easier and suddenly I start seeing it everywhere – even in the darkest of places. Because beauty will always find a way. #Easter2019 #Journey#TrueBeauty#BreakHabits #Lent #Beauty