Cherry Trees

It seems like a lifetime ago that I lived in Maryland. Traffic was crazy, people were insane, and times were tough. But, there was one thing I loved about Maryland and that was the Cherry Blossoms in the spring.

Where I lived, the trees would sometimes hang full of blossoms, and it would look like snow on the trees much like this picture. I spent a lot of time in Maryland looking at the Cherry Bloosoms and Azyleas.

There is great beauty in the midwest, even in our own backyard. Last Sunday I watched the show "The Secret Millionare" and it took place on Skid Row in Los Angeles. I saw people lying in the streets, and a city crumbling from poverty. But. . .there was still beauty on skid row. There were beautiful people doing remarkably selfess things. One man gave the shoes off of his feet.

I grew up on a farm and helped my family raise tobacco. Every Saturday in the summer, the only beauty I saw was a long row of weeds that I had to hoe.

I learned, though, a lot through hoeing weeds. I learned about wisdom, and I learned about planting, and I learned about patience.

I used to read the paper and watch the news until I got sick. I prefer to spend my time now more productivly listening to jazz, reading good books, doing art work. There is beauty all around us and inside of us. We don't have to go to Washington or to Paris. We can close our eyes, and focus our breathing and go to that beautiful place that brings us peace. We all have it within us to find beauty.

Look within and look outside. Explore the uncharted territory of your mind. Read great works and explore their ideas. Be curious and open to new thoughts. If there is a part of a book that you don't like, make a not of it and continue reading. Then return to that spot later. Ask your self if you still feel the same way or if it is that important to you.

Dare to be positive. Stop following the band wagon of negativity--shake it loose.