Be a beautiful moment hunter

When I first heard the phrase, ‘beauty hunter’ I was struck by the idea. And ever since then I have taken it to heart as I loved the idea of being on the lookout for beauty. I believe that the real value is in distilling the moment itself. And with the ease of taking photos on our ever-present phones, it’s fun to collect the really good beauty samples.

But the beautiful moment isn’t necessarily framed by a picture perfect scene, although that does underscore it tremendously. I’ve been practicing gratitude for every possible moment, and I am training myself to appreciate as many as possible, which I find exercises what I think of as a gratitude muscle. So that the more we bring it to mind and to heart, the more recognizable and accessible these moments of beauty become.

True, living near the shoreline is a blessing and for many a privilege, yet I am compelled to remind us that these moments are omnipresent, even through a cracked window letting some light in, a smile emerging from previous despair, any expression of connection with a stranger met for the first time.

Learning to hunt is so worth it. It refines our inner and outer gaze, deepens our gratitude, builds a foundation for a life that expects nothing less. And when the sh*t hits the fan, the cleanup can be a whole lot faster.