Lessons in Beauty

There is a beauty you find in a walk in the woods that cannot be compared to anything else.  For the minds and hearts open to true beauty, it can be found everywhere they go.  There is great beauty in art, music, poetry, a good book, play or even a conversation with a friend.  Of course, there is the wondrous beauty of nature, the forest, mountain, the sea and lakes, the sky and the universe and all it holds. Sadly, people are in such a rush and busy with the cares of the day that they miss so much that is beautiful.  Even sadder, they miss the opportunity to teach this beauty to our young. This is one of the great advantages of Scouting.

            How do you teach beauty?  It is not like you can force others to see the beauty around them.  I believe so many people miss beauty altogether because they were never taught that it was there. We live in a time when our attention is on getting to the next event, meeting or social engagement. People do not only refuse to stop and smell the roses, they cut that rose bush down so it doesn’t get in their way.

“Let the youth be taught to look for beauty in all he sees, to embody beauty in all he does, and the imagination will then be both active and healthy.”

– Orison Swett Marden

(1850-1924)

Author / Publisher

            Success-minded people need to share an appreciation of beauty with others, especially the young.  This appreciation is something that cannot be rushed or lightly touched on.  It is that walk in the woods, where you can be quiet and listen to the rustle of leaves and the moving of the wind.  It is the time it takes not to look at a tree but to study it.  Helping others to see its majesty and strength as it stands among the army of its peers, branches weaving through each other like one great hug.

            I have always loved Scout camping trips. I allowed young people, especially those from urban areas to get out in the wild and hike, swim, have adventures and learn to love the outdoors. Nothing better than to see a group of kids dirty from a day of camp. As TV personality, Mike Rowe says, “A Boy Scout is clean, but he is not afraid to get dirty.”

            Beauty can be shared by seeing more than a painting or work of art but teaching others to see the soul of the artist.  They learn to pause and see that art really does imitate life and that life is a beautiful thing.  They learn to hear and touch what is around them for more than just noise and comfort.  Learning to be a part of a great piece of music or the dance that moves you to the core.

            One of the greatest tools to help other discover beauty and to stimulate the imagination is to teach them to read.  Learning to read is more than the ability to make out words on paper, it is to experience life and adventure and learning through the words of another.  There is no greater gift one person can give to another than the ability to read.  To teach another to really read is to give them the universe as their own.

            Take time for beauty.  Take time to share it with those you love and those who you have had the honor of sharing with.  Not only is this an opportunity to improve the life of someone, it is your opportunity to change the world for the better.

You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.

Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program, however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. For more information about the principles taught here, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.  © 2018 John Patrick Hickey