Hidden Beauty

It’s amazing what the camera can reveal that the eye cannot initially see. When I went out to take pictures tonight I expected the heavy cloud coverage would make for less than ideal conditions. My camera quickly proved me wrong. As I opened the camera up stop by stop I began to notice a myriad of colors appear. First blue, then pink, then orange, followed by the lush greenery of the foreground. Slightly perplexed I put my camera down and looked up at the sky. Was it my eyes or camera that was betraying me? I searched for the answer meticulously as my eyes panned the night before me. The closer I looked the more I could see that it was I who was at fault. Directly above my oblivious self was one of the most beautiful skies I have ever seen. But it was a different kind of beauty, not the overt in-your-face kind that grabs your attention at first glance. This beauty was completely naked, free from the blinding adornments that scream at all your senses, begging for their simultaneous attention. I can best compare the sky tonight to a beautiful woman with frizzled hair and all her makeup washed off right before she goes to bed at night (yes, ladies, you are most beautiful when you look like “crap”). Now imagine seeing that same woman walk down the street as you pass her by. You’d most likely think she’s either homeless, hideous, or just plain crazy. But say you stop for a moment to ask the woman her name. As she looks up at you, you notice her half-closed dreamy eyes, followed by her subtle smile and soft imperfect skin. At first this combination confuses you, but as you gaze deeper you begin to put all the individual pieces together to form a picture that is her true beauty. That, my friends, is what I witnessed tonight – a crazy homeless woman walking down the street looking for a place to sleep… just kidding. 🙂 Hidden Beauty Fissure