In a time when it is easy to be overcome by fear or worry, we want this series of blog posts to give you simple, gentle, and dynamic ways to reclaim an atmosphere of peace, joy, and wonder in your home. We can all then help shine light to the world by sharing how we are choosing beauty daily. Please join us by using the hashtag #choosingbeauty on social media.
An Introduction to #ChoosingBeauty
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“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ” Philippians 4:8
We are living in uneasy times. Our health and livelihoods are in peril, and everywhere we turn it seems there is more bad news. Children’s routines have been upended. Most are home from the schools they normally attend, but even veteran homeschool families are feeling that the atmosphere in their homes has been disrupted to the point that they need to break from their routines and simplify things for a while.
It has been said that crisis can bring out the worst in people. Fear and despair spread from person to person, much like the virus itself. Isolated, the human tendency can be to turn inward–to ruminate, to obsess, to nurse our anxieties, or to take any action that gives us some sense of control, such as hoarding food and medical supplies.
But crisis can also be an opportunity to reassess what is truly important–to turn not inward, but outward and upward for the glory of God and the good of humanity. Think of the people in Italy singing together through the windows of their apartments and the volunteers who are packaging and delivering food to school children who no longer have access to breakfast and lunch. Some are calling friends and relatives a little more often to make sure they have what they need and that they are healthy. Many are learning to let go of busy-ness and sit together in their homes as a family. And most are making decisions, like the one to remain socially distanced, based not on their own preferences or convenience, but with thought towards the most vulnerable among us.
Moment by moment, as we attempt to navigate these uncharted waters together, we can choose our response. Will I turn inward, or will I turn outward and upward? Will I cower, or will I be brave? Will I spread anxiety, or will I spread peace? Will I choose to focus on the ugly or on the beautiful?
That is the purpose of this series of blog posts. For the next 30 days, we would like to invite you to join us in seeking and sharing beauty. Each day, we will post a short list of simple and inspiring things you can do with your children, or even by yourself. Each day will include nature, scripture, literature, and the arts. Then, at some point during the day, we ask you to share something beautiful or inspiring on social media using the hashtag #ChoosingBeauty. It can be anything you want–a picture of that tree in your front yard that has just started blooming, a video of the river where you hike, or a photo of your child’s latest nature journal entry or handicraft project. One purpose of sharing things to social media is simply that the world is in desperate need of some loveliness in this moment. We have an opportunity to lighten people’s news feeds and, in so doing, to lighten their spirits with one small act. Another reason is that there are a lot of children at home doing a lot of worksheets, and a lot of parents who are unaware that there is another way. This is an opportunity for people who are passionate about honoring children as persons and nourishing education to invite others into fuller, more relational living and learning.
Won’t you join us in choosing beauty and spreading light during this season?
©Charlotte Mason Institute 2020
