bellagrace

This weekend I hosted the annual spring Art + Yoga retreat in the wild and wonderful woods of West Virginia. After weeks of rain, the leaves were a vibrant shade of lime green and moss covered the forest’s floor.

I spent 24 hours before the guests’ arrival setting the stage for beautiful moments: hanging handmade bunting, chalkboard signs, and twinkle lights; planting marigolds; decorating with pink peonies, purple petunias, and white candles; and stuffing their goody bags with sensory delights (candles, French soaps, lavender bath fizzies, lavender tea).

Throughout the weekend I encouraged the ladies to look for beautiful moments—everyday things that bring joy and can be missed while immersed in thought or rushing from A to B. One may be more attune to these simple pleasures while on retreat. But we don’t have to go away to appreciate them.

The above collage from my Instagram feed shares a glimpse into beautiful moments ranging from enjoying tea to yoga to books to flowers to embroidery to art supplies.

It’s easy to fall into the “who has time for that” mode when looking at our to-do lists. Yet the good news is that we often don’t have to go oroseut of our way to have beautiful moments. They surround us. It does, however, take slowing down and paying attention.

Why do we value putting all our energy into preparing for the future and missing the moments in front of us?

Let’s notice the smell of tea, the taste of dark chocolate, the purr of a cat, the well manicured lawn, the blooming rose bush, the laughter of a colleague, the feel of a book in your hands, the joy of an update from a loved one, the sound of rain.

When are days are over, will we remember that we knocked that one more thing off the list or that we slowed down to truly smell the roses? Bisous. x