beauty is everywhere

Beauty is all around us!  I firmly believe in that.  Sure, things get hard and many unpleasant things happens all over the world but I ask that you to take pause, reflect and just look around.   It doesn't mean that we ignore the injustices and cruelty we see but we also need to recharge ourselves and bask in the beauty around us.  This is what should fuel us to continue on in fighting the good fight, whatever that may be for each of us.  

Speaking of immediate beauty around us, I was reminded of our State and National Parks and Monuments.  It is one of the ones that have been hit hard with the government shutdown.  The National Park Foundation had a webinar this past Tuesday and they almost decided not to have it.  Fortunately, they decided to have it and it just confirms that there are a lot of us that find our National Parks as something that connects to our past, our present and what our future will be like.  Besides the natural beauty, we should also not forget the beauty of the people we interact with everyday in our communities.

As many of my friends and family know, I have a slight obsession with visiting National Parks.  I am not a super extreme hiker but I do like to explore the outdoors and collect those Passport stamps. Even though I was not born in the US, I have come to appreciate the efforts by the National Park Service in maintaining the parks.  How as humans, we are connected to the environment. I know for me, it helps ground me and stay connected to the world around us.  In tribute, I have photos of some of the parks I've already visited.  I created a 2026 calendar, a regular one and a stylized one and a few coasters.  You can find them on my shop or on Etsy.  More designs to come in the coming weeks and months.

Check out the National Park Foundation to find out more about their mission and history.