Beauté and the City

If you live in a city, like I do, you must think that clogged roads, smog, exhaust fumes and the last vestiges of green are your lot.

Well, so did I- till I trained my eye to spot beauté in the chaos. Its an acquired skill in today’s mad rush. But like everything, it gets better with practice and in no time my view of the world changed. Try this:

Take an early morning or evening walk. Look for the beauté in:

• The blue of the abyss, the green of treetops, the white of clouds reflected in the glass windows of a highrise

• A gulmohr tree burst into vibrant flame defying the sun’s fury…as if saying, what you can do, I can do better!

• Flowers dropped over the sidewalk, still clinging to freshness, an example of Nature’s abundance.

• The velvet of a dog’s ear.

• Sunlight reflected in a child’s eyes as he looks up at you.

• Quiet, tree-lined, old settled neighborhoods at mid-day.

• The symphony of hundreds of people going about their daily business. A musical note you hear only when you stop your own mad rush for a moment and listen.

• A deep, deep breath first thing in the morning.

You’ll be rejuvenated. I promise.