Avila Beach, California

This morning I peered out our bedroom window. The sun was angling across the yard, lighting up the trees and plants, all of it set against a blue sky and accented with splashes of cloud. It wasn’t the yard that struck me. It was the beauty of the morning, of everything emerging from the dark and coming alive. It’s there every day, but at some point, I quit noticing it. I still admire the view of the bay every time I drive past, but I stopped noticing the beauty that surrounds me. It’s peculiar how we grow blind to the familiar. The distractions from the news, worries of the day, the realities of life, and the little aches and pains, pull me away from what’s right in front of me. I’m amazed at all the beauty I miss just because it’s common.