Finding the Beauty in Life Whether I'm Walking Down the Hill or Back Up

On a recent sunny afternoon I headed out for a walk.  I decided that I would walk for one mile and then turn around reversing my steps to head back home.  Setting my fitness watch to measure my distance, I took off on the paved path.

It was a beautiful day.  As I walked I noticed the bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds

and the colorful butterflies dancing amongst the trees

and the peaceful song of the waterfalls.

How lucky was I to be outside in this stunning place enjoying this marvelous day???

Before I knew it, I had gone a mile.  I turned around to head back to home.  As I walked, my legs began to burn a little bit.  My breathing became a little more labored.  I realized that I was walking uphill.  Really?  I didn't recall the first part of my walk to be this much of a descent.  As my breathing increased and beads of sweat formed on my brow, I grew less enchanted with this walk.  How much farther?  Why had I come this way?  I should have turned left out the door instead of right.  

I was so relieved when I reached the top of the hill and the path flattened out.  Thank goodness that was over!

Later that afternoon when I was looking at the pictures I had taken on my walk it dawned on me that on my way back I had passed those same peaceful waterfalls, passed those same dancing butterflies and the same bright blue sky had been above me.  However, I was so focused on my burning thighs and heavy breathing and sweat that I missed them.  I was looking at the uphill path and failed to see the beauty that still surrounded me.

Life can be the same way.  When things are going good I think my family and friends are the best and the funniest people ever.  I appreciate my job and drive home in my cute little dented car with the windows down and my favorite song blasting on the radio.  When there is a bump in life everyone annoys me and I wish life was different.  I hate my job and my car and the song playing on the radio.  

But wait . . . .

My family and friends are the same amazing funny people.  I'm still driving the same little car going to the same job every morning.  None of that has changed.  What has changed is what I am focusing on.

The good news is that I can control that.

When I was on that walk, I could have stopped to listen to the waterfalls, watch the butterflies and look up at the sky on my way up the hill just as I had on the way down.

 

But I chose to keep my head down and focus on the uphill path.

Life is the same.  I can choose to focus all of my energy on the blip in my path or I can pick up my head and know that, even though the journey is hard at this moment, I am still surrounded by family and friends who love me.  I have a job that I enjoy, a car to drive and a roof over my head.  

Every aspect of my life is not going to be great all of the time, but there is always going to be greatness in my life.  I just need to pick up my head and see it.

These pictures were taken during a walk at Hidden Valley in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.