Pockets Of Beauty...

Chapter 1

Damp air clung to the curtains as they tangled into a dance in the living room. The windows were only cracked open enough so the fresh, night air would have room to invade, but the rain wouldn’t flood the apartment. She closed them while the drapes came to a sudden standstill. Her neighbor had left moments before, after an evening of decluttering her apartment. It was long overdue if you ask her, but she simply didn’t have the energy she used to. She was strong and healthy, but nothing like in her glory days. Days spent roaming parks and painting pictures. Living through the exotic 70s, colorful 80s, eclectic 90s, and now experiencing the fast pace of the soaring 2000s. She wore her age like a cape draped across her shoulders. Regal as history ordained her. She lived a life she was proud of, and now lived a quiet life on her own. Her feet carried her toward her bedroom, letting the door click behind her. Her heart pined for her family, but she understood the desire to chase passions. Her phone lit up on the nightstand by the bed. Her daughter's name appeared, followed by a concise message. 

Daughter: “How did the cleaning go?” Thoughtful, yet distant. 

Mom: “Got it all done. Missed you, hope everything at work went well for you today.” She had to have the young man at the phone store enlarge her font so she could see the letters despite the glasses that sat low on her nose. 

Daughter: “I had meetings all day, but I’ll try to call tomorrow.” 

Mom: “I would love that, good night sweetheart. I love you.” She knew that her daughter had a laser focus on becoming something and someone, which caused wedges to be embedded between the two. But, she knew that her daughter was living out her dream in the life she had worked so hard for. She understood that even in the gaps of space that lay between them, beauty grew out of their relationship. And as her daughter matured, her life would slow down to find the important things, the special times, and the little blessings that lay behind corners as she now saw. Those little pockets of beauty…little blessings. 

Chapter 2

The sun came through the cracks of the curtains like wrinkles in time. It jumped off the mirror onto the vanity and dove onto the glass of a picture frame, only to then leap onto the bed and curl up into a ball at the end. She roused as the warmth tickled her toes. Lazily, she opened her eyes to see the glory of the morning. The gentle way the world came to life. The birds sang into the fresh air that ran on top of the dew. The way the navy blue was cracked open by the day. She never used to notice those little moments, the parts of life that became washed over with busy schedules and big emotions. But, now… now that she had time, it's like her mind couldn’t wait to point them out. Days were filled with treasure hunts of beauty, life, and laughter. When she was younger, people would talk about finding those moments, but it didn’t mean much.  The saying of “stop and smell the roses” wafted her with its scent throughout her life, but in the middle of situations, she would often forget that there were roses around. She became numb to all that life had to offer. But there were pockets of beauty everywhere around her; she simply wasn’t ready to see them. 

Her bed was not as excited for the day as she was, as it groaned to the weight shift as she sat up slowly. She swallowed the morning pills that resided on the table next to her with the glass of water that sparkled next to the crack of light. With a flash, the whole room overflowed in radiant yellow with a hint of orange. She made her bed as she had done every day for decades. The sheets were made taut, the comforter fluffed, then laid atop like icing, then sprinkled with rose-coated pillows. A mundane chore that she did with a smile, knowing that that was her passing GO on that day. A plush robe covered her delicate nightgown while her hand caressed the frame of a photo hanging next to her door of her late husband as she walked out of the room. 

Chapter 3

Sitting on the balcony, she had a cup of coffee, two scrambled eggs, and toast dripping in a gloss of warm butter as it soaked into the crispy peaks of the cooked bread, and slowly broke them down into the perfect bites. A little pocket of beauty. People rushed as they walked their hurried lives below her. Some on the phone, others sporting a variety of headphones, a few in clusters, most alone, a few dogs, and yet only a rare few took the time to articulate their steps. A handful who slowly sipped their to-go cups, leaned into each other, felt the sun on their face, and saw the day as it walked ahead of them. They were in a pocket of beauty, and she was able to witness it from above. Her eyes were drawing mental portraits of those she witnessed when her phone rang.

“Hello.” Her voice held as many wrinkles as her face showed. Weary from years of conversations. Some good, some unkind, some sad, some joyful, but most so full of love. 

“Hey, Mom!” Her daughter's voice rang clear through the phone. A voice of someone established, but still with years left to learn.

“Oh, hello, sweetheart.” Her body melted into her chair.

“I told you I would call today. I wanted to check in on you after yesterday.” Words rushed out from the habit of never having enough time. 

“I'm doing fine.” A sweet smile could be heard through the phone while she pictured her daughter's face, having memorized every detail. “Now, tell me about you.” She missed the feeling of feeling needed, but was proud of the independent person her daughter had grown into. The conversation continued. And when she hung up, the sun had shifted, and the time that showed on the screen alongside ‘call ended’ was two hours. She couldn’t remember the last time the two of them had talked that long. A pocket of beauty. The air was warm, and the sound of children's laughter reverberated off the building's walls, echoing up to meet her. A gentle smile tugged at her lips. Nothing quite compared to those little moments in time that made you feel lucky to be alive. 

Chapter 4 

Some days, life can feel rushed or heavy that we look past those simple events or views that are so full of rich beauty. The smell of the rain on concrete, the way the light shines through the trees, how the sunset casts a glow across a wall, how the grass dances in a warm breeze, how the fog engulfs a mountain into a mysterious hug, or how a butterfly leaps from flower to flower. Little blessing. They are what I look for on bad days, what pulls me into a smile when I am not in the mood, and what reminds me how beautiful life truly is. They are easy to look over and quick to miss, but if we slow ourselves down, they become more prevalent. 

I hope you're able to find those pockets in the week ahead of you and begin to find them everywhere you go. Some days, weeks, and months are harder than others, but that doesn’t mean that we are completely shut out to things or moments that make us feel seen, loved, and important. Enjoy your weekend, and I pray for a great week ahead of you! Don’t forget to follow on Instagram, subscribe, leave a comment, and share this with someone! Thanks for reading Allie-Cats! 

• Dru Allie