The Other Side of Beauty

My friend said something the other night about family/couples therapy that I won't soon forget.


It's hard, I sighed. Heavy. It can be so ugly.
Yes, she said. It's ugly. But it can also be beautiful. That's the only way someone can heal, by getting through those things.


So that got me thinking about other things that appear less than beautiful but in fact are, such as:

1. Dandelions. We saw some bright yellow ones on our walk around the block yesterday. They look really cheerful, lawn man H. said.
2. Downpours. Mother Nature's force is a glorious thing--as long as you're looking through a window.
3. Garbage. Especially glass jars and plastic bottles and piles of paper that you recycle, so they can have a second life. [Happy Earth Day.]
4. Depression. Who's kidding who here? This is not beautiful. But someone I know is hurting, and I trust and pray that the heavy gray blanket will lift and light will emerge, that in the end, having gone through the bad stuff can make the good stuff more precious. It is so, so hard to stand by and watch the hurting.
5. Scars. Yes, they mean you had a cut--a scrape, a wound, an accident--but also that your body had the miraculous power to heal it. And you can always apply Neosporin to help fade the mark.

TCOY

1. Took a little leisure time to read a mystery.
2. Walked Sug around block once.
3. Avoided eating organic peanut-butter-filled chocolate Easter eggs that are lurking in my house. [Oops. Spoke too soon. Just ate two.]