Finding Beauty in Destruction

Yes, my mother would be proud; I have seen the beauty.  Every winter she gracefully listens to me bitch about how ugly the dead trees are or how depressed and angry the wind and snow are making me.  Her response is always an unwavering, "Jita, you just need to look for the beauty in things." 

So what if the snow sparkles like glitter?  That doesn't mean I have to think it's "pretty," right?  It's not pretty when I'm shoveling it in 20 degree weather, that's for damn sure! 

But today something was different.  Today, after the hail storm raped my trees and shrubs of their leaves and murdered the flowers and plants I'd worked so hard on, I grabbed the shovel and headed out to clear the sidewalk.  That's right, I needed a shovel to get rid of the golf ball sized ice balls strewn across the neighborhood.  Yet, as I shoveled, I couldn't hep but notice the beautiful fog emanating from the battered ground.  With the ominous sky still hovering above me, I felt more at peace than I was prepared to admit.  I saw my neighbors outside helping each other clear the sidewalks and I felt the warm air against my bare arms (definitely better than winter cold).  My positive outlook clearly outweighed my negative thoughts about all the raking that would be required once the hail melted and the ground dried up a little.  In fact, at one point, I clearly recall thinking what a good work out the raking would be.  So maybe (just maybe) my mom was right.  Maybe through whatever storms we face, we have to find the beauty.  It surely doesn't hurt.

Street Flooding

The Vine Was Stripped

Yesterday These Bushes Were So Voluminous

So Many Leaves!!

Another  Tree Minus Its Leaves

And Someday Will Be Again