BEAUTIFUL LIFE

CHRIS RANKIN,—QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS

I often visit my grandparents in Vermont. I like to walk down the dirt road or go out to the barn. There is so much beauty there that it's hard not to feel the grace and purity that are the foundation of life.

One day I noticed a little beetle on the flower next to me. I don't know why, but I felt so humbled by that tiny bug as it went about its business, unaffected by my looming presence—perhaps because I caught a glimpse of God at that moment. The beetle's beauty, persistence, and apparent fearlessness symbolized for me the kind of deep trust in God that I want to have myself and see in others. It also reminded me that we are all God's creation, and we always reflect His pure, unadulterated beauty.

That Vermont garden moment also made me think about how I view others. I try to appreciate everyone and what they have to offer—but is my response to them more of the head than truly heartfelt? I realized that I needed to do a better job of understanding God's true nature, because that's what allows us to see the beauty in all His creation. That day I caught a glimpse of the perfection and the all-encompassing beauty that points at Life itself.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

SPORTS

A WINNING—OR HEALING—STREAK