What Makes Life Wonderful?
When I was on Maui last week, to attend an art event at Viewpoints Gallery Maui, I was courted and captivated by the natural beauty of the island of Maui, as I always am. As an artist, it was easy for me to visualize what inspires other artists on these beautiful islands to paint with fervor and passion. My husband, Dux Missler, was one of the featured artists in the invitational, Celebration of Hawaii 2016. The artwork and the presentation/display of the paintings was exquisite and expertly orchestrated by the talented curators of the gallery.
The point to my blog entry is this question, “What makes life wonderful”? I could see, by the creations hanging on the gallery walls, that inspiration is personal; so different for each person. From grandiose mountains, wildlife and exotic native species, to the abstract and thought provoking textures and colors in nature, to the smallest of paintings embellished with words, to the exalted beauty of the Hawaiian woman as painted by Hawaiian artist Pegge Hopper.
Later, while strolling through a quaint Paia town shop, I saw this little, unobtrusive dish with this saying, “Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful”. What struck me was the simplicity of words that spoke volumes about appreciation of life, of where you are right here, right now. Things don’t have to be perfect or grand to be wonderful. You can be amazed, always, with the smallest of things and sometimes you might even be underwhelmed with the grandest of material things.
Yes, of course, I was surrounded by beauty everywhere I looked. With really fun, cool things that put an aching smile on my face all day long. Maui is a wonderful place, my happy place, my place of refuge and reinvention, of inspiration and good old-fashion fun. I love walking on the miles of sandy beach hunting for the tiniest of pieces of beach glass and shells, puka shells if I’m lucky. Hearing the waves crash on to shore, the bright blue of Maui skies and the embracing clouds and magical rainbows that are all around you shining for hours at a time.
However, it was the smallest of things that reinforced the thought that nothing has to be perfect to be wonderful. There can be a flaw in something…and that is ok. Life is not always perfect, and that is ok too. What makes life perfect is the appreciation of the beauty, large or small, fine or funky, radiant or understated.
Life IS perfect when you look at with wonder and are full of gratitude.
