I was watching a sunset and thought “that is infinitely beautiful” and I took a picture with my phone
Then I felt a need to share the photo with others on social media and tried to come up with an adorable caption
I listened for the dings of those who liked my picture and I realized, I had relegated “infinitely beautiful” to a stressful limitation
My peace had converted to desire for hits and shares, and I failed to see the sunset slowly fading
For the sunset had no need to make sure it’s beauty was frozen in time, it knew it would be beautiful again
In a new way, a different way, because it is inspired by a universe that feels no need to stop time or judge its beauty
There is no grading structure for a sunset, no sense of failure or of being the best
Instead, it simply shows up, joyful about its job and fully accepting its role as middle child between day and night
When you feel exhausted, tired of your daily life, it might not be the work itself but the anvil of expectations
The judgment of how you are doing, the fear that you’re doing something wrong, the need to reenact a success
But you are just as infinite as the sunset, your cells comprised of the same stuff infused by the same energy
And the body is watched over by your soul which understands there is no entry fee for joy
It doesn’t matter if you are the best mother, or the worst employee, or the highest climber in all the land
Because you are already infinitely beautiful, made by an artist who builds only from love, and if you would realize that fact
Then you could sit like the sunset, meditatively joyful, settling into nighttime with a sigh of contentment
So give yourself some time each day to realize that whatever you are capturing in a photo is, in no way, more beautiful than you
Instead, it is simply accepting itself and realizing how infinitely inspired it already is – not in an achievable way
But in a pure existence, a “thank you nighttime for being there so I can settle into you” gratitude kind of way
Put down the societal mirrors and recognize yourself in every flower, every bird, every sunrise, every sunset
Realize that all you have to do is accept that you are a limitless person living in an infinite universe
And be always, forever grateful for the very special, very spectacular you