A Year of Gratitude – April 18, 2024

Rain and flower petals gave me a reason for gratitude today. It wasn’t supposed to rain at all. There wasn’t even a chance of rain in the forecast when I looked at it early this morning.

Nevertheless, I looked outside this afternoon and saw that it was indeed raining. You know how much I love to capture photos of raindrops on leaves and petals, so I grabbed my camera, put on my jacket, and headed outside to see what beautiful things were waiting for me to discover.

I’ve shared with you before that I see the world differently when I am looking through the viewfinder of a camera. There’s something about it that gives me a different perspective. When I am looking at the world through my camera lens, I feel like I am looking at beauty all around me rather than looking for something beautiful.

That might not make sense, so I’ll try to explain. When I go outside with my camera, I expect to find something beautiful. I am there with the purpose in mind of capturing beauty. I am looking for unexpected glimmers, fully expecting to find them.

I know that there is always beauty to be found. The trick is in taking the time to look for it, in not rushing past it in the busy of our days. For me, having a camera in my hand is the surest way for me to be sure not to overlook something beautiful. Perhaps that’s why I like to be outside, even in the rain, with my camera.

No matter the reason, I did find myself outside with my camera today and ready to capture something beautiful. The hyacinth I shared a photo of a few days ago caught my attention. It was speckled with raindrops and standing tall. I crouched nearby, shielding my lens from the rain, and took a few photos.

I cam inside, damp from raindrops but warm of heart. I had found beauty and after a close look, I knew that I had captured something beautiful to share with you. That’s all the reason I needed to be filled to the brim with gratitude.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.