Beauty is the peacocks roaming around my chair, God was being especially artistic with these creatures! I've seen them at home but they were never this colorful or huge, they every now and then stretch out their feathers, they reach taller then me and the birds strut around as if they were showing off which is what I would do if I were them.
Beauty is kindness. And I'm not talking about everyday kindness (which is also beautiful), but I mean the type of kindness that goes beyond what is asked, required, thought of.
The kindess of Petra's mom picking us up at the airport with a homemade sign. Or the kindness of a stranger opening up their home, like Petra and Lindi's families, but not just to give us a place to sleep but a home to come back to anytime. Beauty is in the kindness of Willem and his family, his dad is an artist but didn't just show us his work, he created art for us with our names on it and everything! And wIllem, not just sharing conversation about good books with me but giving me one to read and creating a CD with hundreds of Ebooks for me to put on my Kindle when I get home.
Beauty is exemplified in kindess that goes above and beyond. The kindness of Deon's wife who insisted we were not only well fed at her home but well fed on the road as well, she packed us tea and jam and sandwhiches for our journey ahead.
The kindness of Deon who arranged for a business trip hundreds of miles north of his home to Rundu, allowning Makayne and I to ride with so we could inch closer to our next destination, but not only that, we made a full day stop at Etosha National Park, ate at great restrauants, and stayed in luxury accomadations along the way. This gave us yet another experience to learn more about this beautiful part of the world and the people who call it home.
Beauty is in family and the feeling and presence of one. Beauty is in my family who rallies around my sister and I, constantly supporting us and one another. Beauty is in realizing that blessing in universal - whether we are praying over dinner with Petra's family or sitting around the TV at night listening to music with Deon's.
Beauty is in laughter. The nervous laughter when I was face to face with an elephant, starring into my car window no more than 10feet away, flapping his ears and stomping his feet.
Or my contagious laughter after some drinks and funny videos or stories around the campfire with Willem. Check out this video as an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsXyRVQN70U
or my laughter in the middle of the grocery store when the checkout lady saw my camera and demanded I take a picture of her, and then showed everyone at the store!
Beauty is in happiness, the children running alongside the road as we drive by slums and townships, barefoot, and my our standards, poor, but smiling all the same.
Beauty is in the excitment of a call, text, email, message, or comment from friends and family and students back home and the excitment I feel in looking forward to hugging them all when I get home (yes that means you!)
Beauty is in options. The freedom to take our time and travel through this country or change our mind and travel through that country. To spend one week here or one month there.
Beauty is in the options of my future and not knowing what I will do but knowing I have choices and being ok with that.
Beauty is in the wildlife of Africa and the respect for the power of the animals, so far we have seen over 20 African creatures and expect to only add to the list. Everything from seals, to elephants, to giraffes and zebra, to whales and wildebeest.
Beauty is in travel! In being brave and strapping on the backpack each morning, going to places with the hope of being a traveller more than a tourist. Of going with little plans and little money but a lot of desire to seek out adventure, change, and to see things off the beaten path. To leave your comfort zone and be scared. To take time and stop, look around, and be thankful, feel blessed. Be in awe and urge yourself to keep dreaming. I keep dreaming about seeing more of the world, it is my world, afterall. My brothers and sisters, I am a global citizen of this world.
Beauty is in the poor, the war torn lands, the complicated histories and controversial leaders, the countries you may not be able to point out on maps, the intimidating border posts, the pain and struggle of people, beauty is everywhere, it is there too, you just have to look for it.
Seek out beauty in the scenery, nature, animals, kindness, people, and situations around you.
Sleeping tonight in Rundu, Namibia. On the way to Katima, Namibia tomorrow, where after that, it is just an hour bus ride into Botswana.
Have a beautiful day! Chelsey
1 comment:
Beautiful entry Chelsey. Thanks for sharing thru your eyes the definition of the word "Beauty"
Love you,
Mom
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