Recognizing Reality in Full

Any life worth its salt is a challenge in the least. It pushes us to our boundaries, regardless of the realms we choose to journey though. The reality of our experience is designed to make us travail through thick and thin, highs and lows, the somewhat familiar times and the completely unexpected. Our central nervous systems are pushed to the limits, our bodies will oftentimes question the outcomes of our efforts. Our muscles will doubt themselves; our minds will deter us to any available shortcut. On top of all of this, it's not uncommon for us to experience it by our lonesome. We all have our own particular destinations, and the human heart in us all desires different goals; this means the road less traveled is inevitable throughout most of our campaign to reach what it is that our souls long for. Misunderstanding by the tribe around you will come about, people will question your motives and your methods and then make judgements on the way you operate, it takes no scholar to understand that this can be a hard reality to face. Fatigue, loneliness, exhaustion, burnout, misunderstanding, discontentment, doubt, anger, fear, depression, and all other things listed on the negative curve of the emotion spectrum will surely make barriers for us all seeking to achieve something higher in this life. The combination of these states creates a steady fortress around the soul, built slowly through the wear and tear of life, brick by brick, stone by stone.

But there's something about the way a full moon lights up the night sky that brings you a burst of energy. In the same way that the fluorescent street lights over the lake bridge ripple over the water creating a beautiful color of amber. Or the irony that a bluebonnet growing in the ditch beside the highway can still be so vibrant in color and stature. And how the morning sun is able to sneak through my half-open blinds every dawn as a promise of hope for the day to come, right next to the unique shapes and sizes of cumulonimbus clouds which never cease to amuse me in their patterns. It’s similar to the bricks of an old building which you know were placed there by hand several decades ago, true craftsmanship and dedication to hard work that build such a sturdy structure. The way a homemade dinner tastes after an afternoon of famish and focus is nothing short of true love. A good story can captivate your emotions and constrict your focus for hours on end, leading you to appreciate the articulation and thought towards the project. The way your pet looks at you when you acknowledge them is always a reminder of true loyalty and appreciation. Watching a thunderstorm roll through the prairie is always an unfathomable display of power and force. Seeing the endless stars on a pitch black night brings out the adventurer in us all. Listening to a song with beautiful cadence and tone typically puts the mind in order. Truly so many beautiful phenomena on this earth, every crevice of reality holds its own share of abundant joy.

My friend, the fortress around your heart may be growing strong, but it's nothing that the recognition of beauty in everyday life can't outpace. Continue the work, God rewards the diligent always, and with that your soul will resonate. In the meantime be sure to smell the roses.

-T