Beauty Right Now

When do we not share our beauty? When do we withhold beauty from ourselves? Beauty takes many forms.

Beauty is not just on the mundane plane, but I want to start there:

Do you ever save up beautiful items until it’s the “right time to use them” but the right time never comes? For example, make a lovely quilt that you never display on wall or bed? Or buy gorgeous beads that sit in a drawer forever while you use beads you like less? Or be given a beautiful scarf that would look perfect on you, but you have not worn it?

I do that sort of thing, sometimes, though not as much as when I was young. I was thinking about it just now as I was looking at this mobile I made last year:

I’d bought beautiful metal pieces to make jewelry with and, no longer making jewelry, I’d let the gorgeous metalwork sit in a box. So I decided to make a mobile out of all sorts of things that I was waiting for “just the right time” to use.

It was an interesting exercise, because I used the pieces in the mobile that, until that point, I’d considered too special to use in a mobile.

Now I have a special mobile blessing my home. When I look at the mobile, it gives me a sense of peace, healthy self indulgence, and self-care.

I couldn’t get great photos of it, so you can’t see, for example, how much the crystals sparkle, or the radiance of the pearl-like shell. But the following two pictures of details show a bit. The first one shows some of the beautiful metalwork I allowed myself to use, among other things:

The second picture shows three gorgeous bells that had just been sitting in a drawer. My mobile bells ring out:

Today I was thinking about hoarding beauty on the less material plane. When do I—or you—not share beauty? Eg, refrain from giving a smile to a weary coworker whose desk we pass? Or refrain from online posting a picture of something beautiful we’ve made because we lack confidence or think no one will care? Or not think to give an extra blanket we have to someone who is homeless? Yes, these three examples play out on the material plane, but they are partially about spirit, including spiritual beauty.

Beauty takes many forms.

When do we withhold beauty from ourselves, eg not adding that little bit of grape juice to our glass of water so the water becomes yummy and has added electrolytes?

My prayer today is: My Gods, you’ve surrounded me with beauty. Help me draw on it right now, instead of waiting until “I’m ready.” Help me share the beauty I am, instead of waiting until “the right time” or until “I’m beautiful enough.” Help me support others to find and share beauty. Thank you.