How do you define Beauty?

A little fairy and her daddy...

What is beautiful to you?  Perhaps someone famous or something desired, a place, someone you love, your children?  What if beauty was surrounding you everyday?  Some days we don't feel beautiful, we don't even always act in a way that would be considered beautiful and certainly not every photo we are in or take reflects the beauty within.

So how do you define beauty?  How do you define being beautiful?  Is it just looking in the mirror, or, is it looking at the person in the mirror?

I certainly do not define beauty the same way as I did 30 years ago.  Rarely do I even look twice at physical beauty.  Over the last decade, through the lens of my camera and the experiences that have shaped this woman who stares back at me through the eyes of her youth, I relish the beauty that I have found in my world, the beautiful things that makes my heart stand still.

• Laughter - Laughter is the one of the most beautiful sounds and hearing someones laugh will instantly

  

  Beautiful...

  make my eyes twinkle.  
• Children - There is no better way to put it than the life of a child fully lived is a beautiful thing to watch, be a part of and enjoy.
• The Click of a Shutter - Taking photos is a part of my soul.  Manipulating them into magical moments in time fills my life and heart with a longing to do it again...
• Love - The love of my husband, my children, family and friends.  Keep the good close and let everything else go.
• Achievements - Work well done that helps others is beautiful. 
• Elderly - Take time to listen, you will learn.
• Sharing - Recently someone told me how the sharing of "how to" information with her prompted her to get out there take her project to a higher level.  
• Activity - My family and I live a busy life, we jump in and help when needed and I wouldn't give up all this running around for a dusted piano any day of the week.  
• Soccer - We LOVE soccer.  It is a thing of beauty to watch any athlete.  
• Living Out Loud - Never be afraid of life.  Never hide from life.  Take some risks and enjoy the rewards.  
• Sparkling Smiles - Need I even explain?!  
• Volunteer - Anywhere, anytime.

Even fairies play soccer.

Take an honest look at this life you have and you may be surprised to find you have a life filled with beauty and wonder.  A life that may have gotten right past you in the routine of the day.  Grab onto those moments of beauty...haul the camera around...capture each moment, for tomorrow you may need a reminder of what is beautiful to you.  

Spend a week Living Out Loud and see if you still define beauty in the same way....

~Nita