Unexpected Beauty

I lived in California for several years while I was in the military. Most of it was in northern California, which I love. I have never been a fan of southern California. Yesterday after a surprising early arrival at LAX, I got my rental car and on a whim drove up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. I had forgotten that Pepperdine University is in Malibu. I got my undergraduate degree from there but never set foot on the campus. I took all my classes at a military base near San Francisco.

The drive was breathtaking. In that area mountains  run into the ocean creating dramatic drop offs and one beautiful scene after another. The picture above is of Pepperdine. I wish had had attended classes there. I stopped to eat at a beach cafe. It was expensive but fun. I was reminded how a very few of us look good in swim wear; most of us, not so much. I had the good taste not to remind any of the diners of that and was grateful I was fully clothed.

For supper I ate at a small Mexican place. It was obviously family run and the customers, except for me, were all regulars and locals. It was beautiful to see the friendliness and love shared by all. Everyone was very nice to me, I think, since I couldn’t understand a word said. I ordered by pointing. My meal was $11 with drink.  There was just as much beauty in this run down neighborhood restaurant as there was at the expensive beach cafe.

My lesson for the day is that there is an awful lot of beauty in this world and I think most of us miss most of it. We miss it because of our preconceived ideas of beauty and where is can be located. Today I learned it exists in So Cal in the wonders of God’s creation and in the simple lives of some of his creatures.

Be blessed.

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