Simply Deep: beauty saves lives
Simply Deep.
A phrase of two paired words, thus something new that keeps surfacing likened to simplexity.
Simplexity. A unique word learned recently meaning: “a neologism which proposes a possible complementary relationship between complexity and simplicity.”
Back to “Simply Deep”—a few English sentences, and a song to go along with the two-paired words:
“He was simply deep inside the story, and it took him a while to come back out.”
“This hesitancy was simply a deep breath before the plunge.”
“She knew her sisters could predict some of her actions simply from their deep knowledge of her.”
Moving along with the invitation of something new.
Simply Deep. This is a new short reflective piece for Arise Blog with something simple yet full of possible complexities. Somewhat like that of ordinary. In God’s eyes, ordinary is attention to reality, what often feels mundane, and most likely present to the small details that matter where every dot and tittle captivates His eye.
Before going on let’s pause and take a moment to ponder.
Maybe even look around at your surroundings and listen.
Or close your eyes to notice what appears in your imagination or thoughts.
What is captivating you today?
Here’s a little window from my own life which may be helpful to begin.
Simply deep: Beauty saves lives.
When I take a walk in the bosque or wilderness, I’m often struck by tree bark, a uniquely colored rock, or a tiny lizard scurrying under leaves. Sometimes it’s imagining the cluster of white fluffy clouds as waves at the top of our mountains, they appear as ocean waters offering a feeling of home reminiscent of the Pacific beaches of California.
Other times it is through words written or even spoken as a poetic stream. Or just one word glistening in the air and eventually touching the heart.
I don’t know how true saving life through beauty is but in my life I cannot not look away from seeing beauty in its simple and complex ways giving rescue and resuscitation.
A new breath!
The small portioned writings of John O’Donohue within The Invisible Embrace: Beauty: Rediscovering the True Sources of Compassion, Serenity, and Hope have been a rescue of word pictures, thoughts, a deep well of life–simply deep.
At times his words have felt like a personal relationship likened to a kindred spirit, and definitely as described the invisible embrace —where God has been named over and over as Beauty.
So yes, I can say Beauty saves lives.
Maybe these words from O’Donohue will help articulate what I’m trying to convey. May they speak to you in some way and possibly not in the same way as I’ve received them. What matters is God’s Beauty is personal, it is intimate, heart, and yes, sensuous:
“The heart is where the nature, feeling and intimacy of a life dwell and without heart the world grows suddenly cold. In its desire for beauty, it reaches towards the beyond”
“When God created it (human heart), it was fashioned for an internal kinship with beauty. God knew that the human heart would always be wedded to him in desire for the other name of God is beauty.”
“The heart is the tabernacle of divine beauty.”
Today, may we hear the invisible embrace of Beauty, God Himself say something like this as we breathe in and out a moment of rescue, “I love you ________ (insert your name) and I want your love, your cares, your beautiful face to look up and see Me!”
