Finding beauty in the simple

Peace can often best be found in moments of simplicity.

The last few months have been anything but calm in my family with illness, upset and medical challenges and I have had to learn to find tranquility in the points of each day that may easily be overlooked. I could become overwhelmed with the endless screaming for example but that ten minutes when he laughed and flapped at yet another hand dryer shows me that such a simple thing can bring so much pleasure. Or watching his sister get so excited at the workings of  revolving doors. These are the moments I have to treasure in the midst of chaos.

Like the moment the other day when I was playing a game with Naomi and for the first time her twin brother showed an interest too. It took so much for both children to play together: one requiring encouragement and reassurance that I would not allow her brother to once again ruin the game or become violent and the other requiring huge physical and mental support to have any idea what the game was about. But despite that we had a beautiful moment. It was simple. But my twins played together for a brief moment. They connected and that was the moment I will remember from that day, and hopefully they will too. A moment of healing, peace and beauty in an otherwise stressful and chaotic weekend.

Life is not easy. I will never pretend it is. My children have huge additional needs and that puts a massive amount of stress and pressure on us all. But in among the endless meetings, appointments, forms, phone calls, paperwork and high care needs there are moments of love, moments of beauty, and moments to treasure. Right now those are the things I am looking for in every day. It is the glimmer of gold dust in among the filth, it is the rainbow in an otherwise wet and grey day, it is the diamond that appears when you least expect it.

I came across this poem I wrote about twenty years ago and it sums it up:

Beauty in the simple

Have you eyes to see the beauty in the simple?
Do you stop to smell the roses as you drive?
Inspiration will derive from all that’s simple
And it’s the simple things that keep us all alive

Have you eyes to see the beauty in a raindrop?
Or notice all the colours in the grass?
Have you ears to hear the song the birds are singing?
Or watch the insects crawling as you pass?

Have you time to notice how the leaves are falling?
Or gaze as clouds are drifting through the sky?
Can you taste the purity of water?
Have you listened to a new-born baby cry?

Have you eyes to see the beauty in the simple?
Or grasp those tiny details all around?
A creator who was wise and so inspiring
Knew that beauty in the simple could confound.

It really is amazing how a simple thing can make a big difference. My son may never be able to say I love you but his hugs say so much more.