"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not"

Beauty is all around us, but it's something we have to carry within ourselves to truly see. Imagine you're searching the globe for breathtaking sights—maybe the Eiffel Tower or the Grand Canyon. You can visit these places, but if you don’t have an appreciation for beauty in your heart, you might miss out on the wonder right in front of you. It’s like having a pair of glasses for beauty; if you don’t wear them, everything might look a little blurry, no matter how stunning.

This idea probably came from a time when travel was becoming more accessible, but people might still have been searching for meaning in their journeys. Think about the 19th or early 20th century when experiencing new cultures and landscapes was becoming a thing. People were realizing that just because you could travel far and wide, it didn't guarantee that you'd find what you were looking for unless you had the right mindset.

Let's talk about a real-life example. Picture a woman named Clara. She’s always dreamt of visiting the cherry blossoms in Japan. When she finally gets there, she’s overwhelmed by the sight. But here’s the twist—Clara was already an avid gardener back home. She appreciated the beauty of flowers in her own backyard. Because she carried that love and appreciation with her, the cherry blossoms were even more magnificent. She was able to truly connect with the beauty she found because it resonated with what she already valued.

Now, how can you apply this wisdom? Start by finding beauty in your everyday life. Maybe it’s the way sunlight filters through your kitchen window in the morning or the laughter of your kids. Practice seeing these moments as beautiful. When you travel or experience something new, this habit will help you appreciate those new sights even more. It’s like building your internal "beauty radar."

Imagine you’re a photographer. You have a gift for capturing the extraordinary in the ordinary—a cracked sidewalk, a child's smile, an old man reading a newspaper. This ability didn’t come out of nowhere. You’ve spent years training your eye to see the world this way. So when you travel to a new city, you don’t just see a crowded market; you see the vibrant colors, the stories in the faces, the dance of everyday life.

The beauty you find isn’t just in the place—it’s in you. And that’s something you take with you wherever you go. It’s not about the destination but the perspective you bring.

The next time you’re feeling restless and dreaming of far-off places, remember this idea. Start by finding the beauty in your own backyard. Train your eyes and heart to appreciate it. When you do travel, you’ll find that beauty with even greater depth and meaning because it’s something you’ve nurtured within yourself.

So, take a moment today. Look around you. What small detail can you find that brings joy or wonder? It’s in these moments, these tiny bits of beauty, that we start to build our internal appreciation. And when you finally stand before the world’s wonders, you’ll carry that beauty with you and truly see it.