Finding Beauty Anywhere is a Key to Happiness

The other day I had a conversation with a random woman. It went something like this:

Me: It's toasty out!
Woman: Mmmm, I love it!
Me: Really? We grew up in Oregon, and just came from Idaho, so I guess we are used to more greenery and cooler weather. 
Woman: I'm a desert girl. I love the dry, hot weather. 
(In my head: What?! Do you realize there is more in the world, right? Like, trees that actually grow naturally and don't have to be planted and highly maintained and manicured to grow. Your saying you PREFER to scorch your hiney off and feel thirsty and dry all the time, to the magic of seasons? To Autumn leaves and fall snow? To hot cocoa and snowball fights? To fireplaces and frozen toesies? (Ok, maybe not the toesies) You actually like the fact that main color in the desert palette is brown? Are you human?!)

Maybe I should have prefaced that little dialogue by saying my husband and I recently moved from a freezing little town in Idaho to the desert of Las Vegas. I also spent half of my adolescent life in Alaska,  and the other half in Oregon, both places I was blessed to live on beautiful acreage. To say that greenery and seasonal wonders-- like the leaves changing, and the first snow fall---run in my veins is probably an understatement. I LOVE the outdoors. My heart skips a beat when the leaves come out in the spring. I am obsessed with the sound of leaves crunching under my feet, and the first snowfall of the year is as magical as anything at Hogwarts. I just love it.

Near where I am from in Oregon. The beautiful Columbia River Gorge

Near where I lived in Palmer, Alaska

Beautiful fall pictures of a Utah canyon taken by my lovely sister-in-law.

My parent's home in the winter (in Oregon).

My exploring buddy. In Jackson Hole, Wy.

I love my snow bunny!

A beautiful lake in south east Idaho.

And, the wonderful Nevada desert (it's fall, if you can't tell)

The changes in weather aren't just important to me because I get to finally wear that cute sweater I've been waiting all year to wear, but because of the family memories I have. Raking leaves was always more fun than a chore, and who doesn't love the scent of hot apple cider? Thanksgiving football games in the frost, and Christmas break sledding parties were also childhood highlights. Seasons=memories, and memories=joy. No seasons= some sort of brain-to-body confusion. You know it is fall because of the calendar, but you don't know it's fall...get it?

I've even gotten used to not having snow at Christmas. But at least the leaves have fallen and there is a frost on the ground.

So, with that said, maybe a few of you can begin to understand why I am confused that this woman preferred the throat drying, tan-line inducing, sun blaring, moisture sucking weather of Las Vegas.

However. As I bid adieu to my new friend, I realized she just may be a step ahead of me.

You see, when I was a senior in high school my parents took me to Southern Utah University to check out the school before I decided to attend the following fall. I wrote in my journal after my visit (and I quote), "SUU was nice, but I am not a fan of the desert."
Fast forward two years and I am so sad to leave that beautiful red dirt town. I grew to love that unique geography with all my heart. I would go on runs up the canyon and marvel at the jagged red cliffs. I loved it. Though hesitant at first, I soon was head-over-heels..totally gaga for the southern Utah desert.

As I remembered that, I decided I would make it a goal to look for the beauty wherever I am. If she loves this place that much, maybe she knows something I don't. While I am still not to the point when I can get all lovey-dovey with the desert, I do believe finding the beauty in any situation or surrounding is key to finding joy.

We spend so much of our lives wishing we were someplace else, some time else, and some person else. We wait and wait until we are old enough to not be "little", then old enough to drive, then old enough to go to college...etc. But why not just love every moment? Or at least one little thing about the moment. Maybe you flossed your teeth for once in a month, or you are having a good hair day. Or maybe you noticed a majestic sunset. Figuratively we all have periods that are more 'deserty' than others in our lives. Live is tough. But I believe there are many things to be grateful for, and many things to find beautiful even in the scorched, cracked, cactus-y ground.

Beauty is all around us. Are we seeing it?