Do You See Beauty?

“Sometimes people are beautiful.Not in looks.Not in what they say.Just in what they are.” Markus Zusak  -  I Am Messenger

Last winter I was stuck in Manhattan traffic, trying to get to the airport before a storm hit. I was slightly nauseated by a cabbie who, if I didn't know better, was trying to see if he could make me throw up in the back of his car.

[OK -maybe checking my email while moving was a contributing factor, but STILL, why must drivers be so heavy with the accelerator and brake?!!  However, I digress...]

As I was busy being self-absorbed and fretting over flight delays, a woman crossing the street grabbed my attention. She was homeless, pushing a grocery cart, bundled up against the cold. She was saying hello to people who passed and waving at the cabs as she wove her way through the cars.

She had a lovely smile, and I couldn't get over her festive Santa hat.

For some reason, I thought about what this woman was like as a little girl. I wondered if she was told that she was pretty. Did she hear that her smile was encouraging and warm? Did she hear then and does she know now that she is beautiful?

Would I have noticed her had she not been wearing a hat?  Maybe not.

Even with the hat, I almost missed her. I was busy contributing to my case of motion sickness, reading and not looking out the window.

I almost missed the moment. I almost didn't see anything. What a shame.

The best thing you can do is to pay attention to the world around you; to notice people; to see their value and beauty;  to enjoy the gifts of smiles, quirky hats, and the beauty "just in what they are."

Pay attention today and see what beauty you find.