Last Friday in the Creative Book Salon I belong to we were discussing the book, The Beauty of Different by Karen Walrond. The book is about how we are each uniquely different and learning to accept that is what makes each of us special. This is not an easy place to come to for many of us. But Karen’s photography beautifully captures the different of those who posed for her and those who shared their stories in the book.
We each discussed what we feel makes us different. Though when Cynthia, the facilitator, first asked this it felt heavy and deep. I think for me because I just tend to think too deep sometimes! But how enlightened I became as I realized my different is in the way in which I see specials needs animals, especially those with IVDD and dogs in wheelchairs, and how passionate I am about sharing their message of hope and inspiration. As I realized looking at this as what makes me different, it did not make me feel odd, but rather quite unique and special. When we find what makes us “different” I think it helps us put the rest of our life in perspective. At least this has been the case for me.
As we each talked about the book one of the gal’s mentioned that she remembered the day her eyes opened explaining what came to life for her. I was fascinated by how she used this verbiage to express this, “when her eyes opened.” When we are born our eyes open to the world around us. So much to see and explore and learn. And then at some point it seems as if our eyes close again. How lucky those of us are that open our eyes once again. I understood this completely as it has happened to me. It happened over eight years ago when I knew I wanted to live my life differently. More simply. I still remember the day (though not exact day) driving down the highway and how blue the sky seemed all of a sudden. How really green the grass was. How gorgeous the clouds in the sky were. How amazing the trees were. They came to life! It may sound odd, but that is what it felt like to me. Like I was seeing all of this for the first time.
Since then I’ve made a conscious choice to not lose that. It is a practice, but one I welcome as I continue to grow and evolve. And thankful for books like The Beauty of Different and connecting with the gal’s in the Creative Book Salon who helped to remind me the beauty of keeping my eyes wide open.