When I create something beautiful, I know it immediately, and it gives me great pleasure. That is what gives me joy in my life. I believe I have created Beauty in many forms:

• The Written Word – In the last 70-some years I think I have become pretty accomplished with the written word and yes, some of those words I believe are things of beauty. If you want to visit some of them, then click on “Personal Favorites” from the menu at the top of any post page.
• The Furniture I Designed & Made – I designed and produced perhaps a couple of hundred pieces of custom furniture during the seven-year life of my cabinet business. About a fourth of them were reproduction Hoosier Cabinets, the rest were personal designs. I had fun during those years with exercising my creativity.
• The Software Tools I Created – I spent 30 years with the same company but working in a variety of different jobs. It was not until the last 10 years that my creativity was truly allowed to shine. During that time, I created software tools for an engineering team. Those tools are called apps now. Every tool I invented were things of beauty to me, and since I got accolades of recognition, my customers seemed to have agreed with that thought.
• The Joy I Gave Others – In various ways in my life, I have given joy to others. Bringing joy to others is the epitome of bringing joy to myself.
• The times when I have helped someone else in life – There have been a few times in my life when I significantly helped someone out it their life. One was when I invited someone to live in my apartment. He had just discovered his wife in bed with one of the church elders. That friendship lasted for almost twenty years before separation due to changing job locations ended it. In another I helped a person who was addicted to drugs to get his life in order. Those were both beautiful feelings that I truly cherish.

Then there is the beauty that I had nothing to do with except to enjoy it

• The beauty of a well-kept flower garden – I have visited many gardens and my wife was very accomplished at our homestead version.
• Painting and illustrations by artist, both past and present – Artists who can make beautiful depictions of what they see in their mind’s eye absolutely excites me.
• Beautiful buildings/architecture – For some unknown reason I have an ingrained passion for beautiful architecture. Many of those were designed by Frank Loyd Wright.

Beauty, love, and other such words often have dramatically different meanings to each of us.

One thing that I don’t see as beautiful are women who artificially paint their faces. I know that is a $50 billion a year industry, but I kinda think all the money could be used for other worthwhile things besides appeasing personal vanity. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than a person who allows her God given beauty to shine. Everyone is beautiful, just in different ways. It is sad to see so many people cover up their true beauty.