“Put yourself in the way of beauty,” I heard Cheryl Strayed say was the best advice her mother ever gave her. “No matter how things are or how negative and ugly things may seem, you always have the opportunity to put yourself in the way of beauty. There is always a sunrise. There is always a sunset, and it's up to you to be there for it or not.”

I was walking through a field of sunflowers on the side of the road. I love August sunflowers and had driven past 10 miles of them before I finally decided to pull over. They were beautiful and stretched as far as I could see. When I emerged from the tall grasses, some of its contents clung to me. Trying to pick the clinging plant particles from my clothes, I discovered how stubbornly they wanted to journey with me.

I put myself in the way of beauty and what I discovered is that I carried that beauty with me as I continued on. This truth has been resonating with me.

Vibrant flowers were given to me for my birthday. I thrill at the colors and beauty they add to my office.

The glow of the sunset across the horizon takes my breath away, and each time I glance at it again, it has changed like God is turning a kaleidoscope. I watch as one I love laughs and feel the warmth of that moment of beauty flood my heart.

I prefer this way of moving through the world because it clings to me. The beauty stays with me and opens my mind to see more all around me. When the days are stressful or the tasks ahead feel daunting, I look for beauty. As I hear about hard things happening to those around me or the circumstances of the world seem bleak, I can still find beauty.

Louis Armstrong offers a great example of putting one’s self in the way of beauty as a black man during the civil rights movement. He sings, “I see trees of green. Red roses too. I see them bloom. For me and you. And I think to myself. What a wonderful world.”