Discovering a Hidden Treasure
By: Susan Schiller
Nearly obscured by a sprawling juniper tree, lay hidden this most perfect cactus blossom! My husband and I had been boating in the Tongue River Reservoir and decided to have lunch on an island. Climbing onto the top of the hill, Wayland excitedly beckoned me over to a juniper tree. I had to grab my camera, because in all my life I've never seen a bloom so perfect, so delicate, so utterly fascinating!
There were many cactus blossoming on the hills, but none of them were as exquistely beautiful as this one.
This is the same feeling of awe and wonder I experience when I listen to a life story from someone who the world would not deem "worthy" of attention. And really, the people who don't want to attract attention to themselves are many times the most beautiful of all. Hidden away, dwarfed by those who are larger-than-life, they simply blossom.
It's those of us who sit down for coffee and chat with those the world would judge least desireable that discover the most beautiful hidden treasures. I've been listening to life stories for the past 14-years, and the ones I treasure the most are from simple, ordinary people who have lived life well.
With my simple, ordinary digital camera I love to photograph the simple wonders of the world. Art, I believe, is the ability to see with both our inner and outer eyes and in discovering the hidden treasures around us, the magic somehow gets inside us and changes us. We begin to see beauty in ourselves and everyone around us. And maybe that is the power of art.
What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear what you're seeing in your life today and the hidden treasures you've discovered!
From the series "Art Every Day"
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Do you create art? It can be as simple as snapping a photo, twirling a crayon, or baking bread. It's your turn now! Do, please, share!
Click the image above to join dozens and dozens of great artists who are celebrating "Art Every Day Month" – a national event! What better what to celebrate the beauty of creation and to magnify our great Creator than by creating art! Creating something beautiful is one of the best healing therapies in the world!
With all my love,
Susan
Susan Schiller knows how it feels to lose everything: marriage and family, church and reputation, finances and businesses, and more. Susan's upcoming, interactive memoir, "On the Way Home," tells the story of how she came to be known as "the most abused woman" her counselors had yet met and how she learned to navigate her way out of hell to a rich and satisfying life. In her lifetime, Susan has served in duties ranging from home school mom – to pastor – to full-time deliverance minister – and to Midwest regional prayer coordinator for a large international ministry. These days you can usually find Susan soaking in her favorite hot springs pool, reading a book (or several), blogging, baking bread, or hanging out with her family and friends. You can get a free copy of Susan's upcoming book, "On the Way Home" by registering here.
Copyright 2013, Susan Schiller, http://TeamFamilyOnline.com. Permission is granted to copy, forward, or distribute this article for non-commercial use only, as long as this copyright byline and bio, in totality, is maintained in all duplications, copies, and link references. For reprint permission for any commercial use, in any form of media, please contact Susan Schiller.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Lovely photo !
Thanks so much, May 🙂
Just beautiful photography today. That IS a beautiful cactus. I know the first time I saw cactus blooms was when I went to CA. I saw miles and miles of them in the desert. It was true sight to behold, all pink, yellow, and (of course) green. I was blown away by the beauty of it all. Such a new experience for me, too. Loved your experience, too.
Miles and miles of cactus blossoms…. I’m trying to picture something so beautiful as a desert in full bloom. That must have been jaw-dropping inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing, Elizabeth! 🙂
Just lovely!
Thank you, Karla – you’re a star 🙂
Wow! Exquiste macro photography of a very beautiful cacti ~ thanks, xxx
ps. thanks for 'visiting' ~ ^_^
Thanks for sharing the joy of art, Carol! 🙂
Tuesday in Texas and blessed rain has come… it's a little cloudy. But, I am asking the Lord for "hidden art" in the clouds.
We'll see what He says…
Hidden art in the clouds sounds like a challenge our Daddy is up for… how exciting, Linda… share a photo, if you can! 🙂
couldn't upload photo… couldn't figure it out.
A photo of the skies, clouds? Your word pictures are just as great as pictures… better, even! 🙂
I found the "hidden art" today… it's the art of laughter!
On my way home from work, I found it.
Of all places, Walmart, I found it.
My feet hurt, body and mind weary, but still looking, I found it.
The hidden art of laughter.
I needed three, yes only 3, things from Walmart, but, I decided to stand in the line, "NOT express". Why? I like human contact. Anyway…
There were two ladies in front of me: a lady-fifty-ish unloading a heap of groceries, and a lady-70-ish in an electric shopping-moto-cycle. They were a pair, those two… laughing at themselves and laughing at their purchases. I chided them and said, "who is paying for all this?" They laughed again and said, "We both are!!" The young girl at the register rallied from her drudgery and laughed at all three of us! The 50-ish lady confided in me… "she's always like this… our whole family laughs like this." "And she's responsible!!"
What a gift to generations! What a legacy for grandchildren! The two, mother and daughter, laughed their way out of Walmart. Who would have thought??? Laughter–the hidden art of today–:):):):)
Oh Linda… that’s a beautiful legacy-in-action. What a real lady. I wish I could have been there with you to witness it! No, you don’t see or hear anything like that very often in WalMart!!!
Wow, thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Wow! This was really a treasure! ANd I love the way you presented the photos–the close-up first. Really neat what you can do with just a simple little camera, isn't it?
Thanks, Amy… it’s fun to discover beauty, even in the least likely places and in people, too…. thanks so much for coming today!
I have never seen a cactus flower! Ok, so I'm not a cactus fan but still, I did not have a chance to see their flowers. Thanks for sharing this beautiful photo of the flower =)
I think the fun of it was discovering its hiding place, under the juniper tree… it reminded me of hidden treasures and how it’s so easy to overlook the beauty in people and places unless we’re “tuning in” to the Now Moments 🙂
Thanks so much for coming by and sharing in my little treasure 🙂