"Beauty is truth, truth beauty, -- that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."
~ John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn
The recent U.S. election has impacted all of us differently. Some are relieved, others are grieving, and many feel a complex mix of emotions that defy simple categories. For me, this has been a time of deep reflection—on who I am, where I live, and what truly matters to me. There are no easy answers. These are questions I am still sitting with, letting them unfold in their own time.
That being said, I'm fortunate to have the freedom and resources to travel while I reflect. This mobility has allowed me to step out of the familiar and into new landscapes, where I find it easier to be in the present moment rather than ruminating on a future that feels uncertain.
Immediately after the election, I co-taught a women's retreat in Sonoma County, California. We gathered in community. We acknowledged the recent election, but we consciously chose to focus on self-care which was easy to do in a place of such natural beauty. Deer, fox, and wild turkey watched us as we passed them on our walks to and from our cozy cabins in the redwoods. Fall leaves floated on the wind and landed on the ground in lovely patterns of red and pale pink. We laughed. We sang. We danced. We prayed. We held space for each other.
Nature offers solace, grounding us in its timeless rhythms and reminding us of the beauty that persists regardless of our uncertainties. Yet, just as the natural world consoles and inspires, so too does the beauty humans create—a different kind of reflection, one that channels our inner truths and shared experiences into art. This interplay between nature’s raw beauty and the creativity of the human spirit has been a source of hope to me throughout my life, especially at times like these.
Art takes so many forms —music, dance, aerial acrobatics, painting, photography, poetry, movies, sculpture, theatre. Whatever the form, these expressions of creativity feel like whispers of truth, reminding me of something deeper, something enduring. To me, as long as beauty exists in nature or in the ways humans express it, there is hope.
If the arts were to cease—if there were no more music, no more stories, no more brushstrokes capturing light and shadow—then I might truly despair. For it is through these expressions that we glimpse what is most real. They strip away the noise of everyday life and reveal the truths that exist underneath: our shared humanity, our capacity for wonder, and our ability to feel deeply.
This is not to deny the harsh realities of the world. What is happening around us is all too real—systems breaking, communities fracturing, inequities widening. These are truths we must face. But they are not the only truths. Beneath the chaos, beauty remains, waiting to be seen, heard, and felt.
I was reminded of this a few nights ago when I attended a dance performance. The way the dancers moved, their bodies telling stories without words, left me breathless. There was something primal in their movements, something that spoke to the heart of what it means to be alive. It was a moment of transcendence, a reminder that even in times of uncertainty, we can connect to something greater.
The following day, I spent a few minutes on Instagram and found myself captivated by the photographs and videos shared by others. On a whim, I navigated to the search prompt and typed in #noticingbeauty. I smiled as I scrolled through images of butterflies, ceramics, sunflowers, architecture, teapots, water fountains, and sunlight filtering through a cracked windowpane. Each image felt like a quiet revelation, a testament to the beauty that persists even in the mundane.
And then there’s music...some songs pull me into a place of catharsis, where I can release any anger or grief I’ve been holding. Others are like a lifeline, lifting my spirits with melodies that weave joy into the moment and rhythms that seem to nudge my feet to tap along, reminding me that I carry a lightness within me even in times that feel dark and heavy.
And here's the thing...
Beauty is not a distraction . It is essential. Beauty reminds me that amidst the noise of politics, the weight of uncertainty, and the ache of division, there is something that cannot be undone: the human spirit's drive to create, to express, and to seek meaning.
Art reveals truths that are not subject to election cycles or the whims of power. It cuts through the transitory, the illusory, and roots us in something more enduring. The artist, the dancer, the musician—they are truth-tellers in their own way, reminding us of what we often forget - that we are connected, that we are creative, that we are alive.
So, I hold onto beauty and I urge you to do the same. Listen to music. Watch theatre. Admire dancers. Read poetry. Stand in front of a painting until it stirs something in you. Let these moments of beauty remind you of the truth that runs deeper than the headlines, deeper than the fear and the anger.
From my perspective, as long as we can find beauty, we can find hope. It’s always there, waiting for us to notice it and to remember who we are—and what we can be.
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