Too much beauty becomes ordinary pretty fast

Posted by Karen Degen on 9th February 2015

Tags: Great Walk, Heaphy Track, beauty, gratitude

I’ve just returned from walking on of New Zealand’s Great Walks, the Heaphy Track. 6 days away from it all with no cellphone coverage, just nature and basic huts. It was truly wonderful and I loved it.  The weird thing is that I did just two hours into the end of the Heaphy Track a year ago when we were holidaying in Karamea and I was overwhelmed with the stunning beauty. I kept telling everyone on this trip that the last day would be the most beautiful scenery ever, but when we got to that part it seemed pretty ordinary. I think it was because I had experienced so much beauty on this six day trip that it didn’t stand out. Life can be like that too. We have it so good that we take it for granted and don’t realise how wonderful it is. Take water for example.  One billion people around the world don’t have access to clean, safe water, but we take it for granted.  When was the last time you sent out happy, grateful thoughts for the water you get each time you turn on the tap?  When was the last time you sent out happy, grateful thoughts for the fact you can just get in your car and go wherever you want?  It always starts, it always gets you there, but we take it for granted.  These things are ordinary for us now and we have forgotten the wonder of them.  We can forget the beauty and wonder in people too.  We take them for granted and forget to appreciate their inner beauty.  Take some time today to appreciate the beauty in the people around you.  Instead of taking them for granted tell them what you like about them.  People can forget their own wonder and beauty too as it becomes ordinary to them.  Remind them today by telling them what you see in them.  We are all creatures of wonder, if only we would see that in ourselves.