Beauty in the Ordinary

     Romanticize your life. Maybe you have heard that saying before and rolled your eyes or thought someone else could do that, but never you. Going to college in a town with just over 5,000 people, in which 2,817 attend the same university you do, has often made me question that saying. It has never seemed very romantic to be surrounded by cornfields and Dollar Generals. However, for you maybe it is not your surroundings that are making it hard for you to see the beauty in the ordinary, maybe it is your situation. I have also struggled at times to find the beauty in my everyday routine. I often fail to appreciate long walks to class, late nights doing homework and cafeteria food. However, in each situation there is truly something amazing to be found, an opportunity to be discovered or a lesson to be learned.

    With all that said, it was a beautiful day today. The rain had cleared up by the afternoon and the sun was peaking over the clouds. I decided to take the long way to class and soak in a little extra sunshine. On my walk I passed the front of campus where I saw the Ohio Northern University signs. The signs were surrounded by vibrant flowers and the trees were just starting to change colors. In that moment, I realized that regardless of where you are or what your situation may be, there is beauty in the ordinary. When you start believing that you start living.