Photo Credit: Coral Gomez
Sometimes I think that the theme of my life, as I grow older, becomes "Beauty". Baha'u'llah, the founder of our faith, thought that the principle of beauty was profoundly important, as evidenced by many of His writings, including a title awarded Him, "the Blessed Beauty." So my thoughts this week turn to beauty for a number of reasons, and as such, it seemed appropriate to begin with one of my sister Coral's photographs; she has an exquisite eye and the whole family enjoys receiving the results of her ability to find beauty in many places in the world.
This week, in addition to the natural landscape around us, which, covered with hoar frost and sunlight demonstrates the reasons that some of us like the prairies despite the cold, beauty is found, of all places, in a movie theatre. Bernie and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by going to the film "Avatar." Much has already been written about this film, including at Baha'i Thought, Phillipe Copeland's very intelligent blog. Much has been said about the technology (and less about the story, which has differing points of weakness depending on your politics), but I wanted to say, here, that I was overcome by the sheer beauty of the world James Cameron has created. I fell in love with colour again; I fell in love, again, with all the shades of turquoise I had forgotten existed. It was my first experience of 3D, but that was less interesting to me than sitting, mesmerized, by the beauty of the Pandoran world and its creatures. Bravo to the film if only for this: that it is a film drawing our eyes, our minds, and our spirits, to the spiritual principle of beauty. Beauty prevails, even as we watch magic threatened by the earthbound minds amongst us. It's a salient reminder at this season, which is, I am sure, no coincidence.
Speaking of the season, I always breathe a slight sigh of relief once Christmas Day is over. I used to abhor the slogan, "Jesus is the reason for the season" but I am coming to the point in my life where I think it may be the most important reminder of the end of the year. As many of you know, we Baha'is affirm and uphold the beauty and perfection of the Christ; for me, raised a Baha'i, and without the celebration of Christmas, this time is a wonderful holiday time to be together with family and friends, but it has nothing to do with shopping or overconsumption, whereas the majority of my acquaintances seem to spend a relatively frenzied month of buying, wrapping, and eating chocolate (the latter a little enviable for a person currently not eating sugar!) I keep my eyes and ears out for just a whisper of the beauty of the reason for the season, and sometimes, a song sidles my way, or someone makes a beautiful piece of art which reminds me of the spirit of Christ. Santa Claus is someone else's myth; Christ's birthday is someone else's story; however, I love the Nativity story. It is, indeed, for me, the reason for the season. I watched at our school Christmas pageant as shopping became the central reason for the season, but was deeply touched when our grade one/two teacher, perhaps courageously, had her class do a sweet scene of the Nativity and sing "Away in a Manger." Many of my students are so completely secularized that they are unaware of some of the deeper values associated with Christmas. Thus, at this time, I am fonder of wishing people a happy new year.
I have hope for 2010. I don't know why; perhaps it is because 2009 has been a lovely year for us, and because, in every way I can find, I am focusing on beauty, whether through prayer and meditation, or more commonly through the natural world in which I find myself. I look out over the prairie each day, and find its nuances more beautiful; I find that this winter, cold as it is, does not bring me down but is confirming a sense of joy. Birds feed at the feeder outside our kitchen window and I watch them (I'll share a few photos next time, perhaps), glance over to the western treeline where the frost is sparkling, to the right where a line of lilac bushes waits to burst into bud in the spring, appreciate the new, warm brown eggs my husband brings in each day from the chicken house out back, watch the flickering of the fire in our living room, and listen to the laughter of my son and his cousins...and remember that beauty is all around us.
I truly wish every reader an exceptionally beautiful 2010. God Bless.
This week, in addition to the natural landscape around us, which, covered with hoar frost and sunlight demonstrates the reasons that some of us like the prairies despite the cold, beauty is found, of all places, in a movie theatre. Bernie and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary by going to the film "Avatar." Much has already been written about this film, including at Baha'i Thought, Phillipe Copeland's very intelligent blog. Much has been said about the technology (and less about the story, which has differing points of weakness depending on your politics), but I wanted to say, here, that I was overcome by the sheer beauty of the world James Cameron has created. I fell in love with colour again; I fell in love, again, with all the shades of turquoise I had forgotten existed. It was my first experience of 3D, but that was less interesting to me than sitting, mesmerized, by the beauty of the Pandoran world and its creatures. Bravo to the film if only for this: that it is a film drawing our eyes, our minds, and our spirits, to the spiritual principle of beauty. Beauty prevails, even as we watch magic threatened by the earthbound minds amongst us. It's a salient reminder at this season, which is, I am sure, no coincidence.
Speaking of the season, I always breathe a slight sigh of relief once Christmas Day is over. I used to abhor the slogan, "Jesus is the reason for the season" but I am coming to the point in my life where I think it may be the most important reminder of the end of the year. As many of you know, we Baha'is affirm and uphold the beauty and perfection of the Christ; for me, raised a Baha'i, and without the celebration of Christmas, this time is a wonderful holiday time to be together with family and friends, but it has nothing to do with shopping or overconsumption, whereas the majority of my acquaintances seem to spend a relatively frenzied month of buying, wrapping, and eating chocolate (the latter a little enviable for a person currently not eating sugar!) I keep my eyes and ears out for just a whisper of the beauty of the reason for the season, and sometimes, a song sidles my way, or someone makes a beautiful piece of art which reminds me of the spirit of Christ. Santa Claus is someone else's myth; Christ's birthday is someone else's story; however, I love the Nativity story. It is, indeed, for me, the reason for the season. I watched at our school Christmas pageant as shopping became the central reason for the season, but was deeply touched when our grade one/two teacher, perhaps courageously, had her class do a sweet scene of the Nativity and sing "Away in a Manger." Many of my students are so completely secularized that they are unaware of some of the deeper values associated with Christmas. Thus, at this time, I am fonder of wishing people a happy new year.
I have hope for 2010. I don't know why; perhaps it is because 2009 has been a lovely year for us, and because, in every way I can find, I am focusing on beauty, whether through prayer and meditation, or more commonly through the natural world in which I find myself. I look out over the prairie each day, and find its nuances more beautiful; I find that this winter, cold as it is, does not bring me down but is confirming a sense of joy. Birds feed at the feeder outside our kitchen window and I watch them (I'll share a few photos next time, perhaps), glance over to the western treeline where the frost is sparkling, to the right where a line of lilac bushes waits to burst into bud in the spring, appreciate the new, warm brown eggs my husband brings in each day from the chicken house out back, watch the flickering of the fire in our living room, and listen to the laughter of my son and his cousins...and remember that beauty is all around us.
I truly wish every reader an exceptionally beautiful 2010. God Bless.
posted by Heather Cardin @ 11:12 AM
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