celebrate.

We have had a staff retreat at work the last two days.

Without going into too much detail, I am sure you could imagine several popular tv shows on air right now that would pretty accurately sum up the atmosphere. But I have to admit, the first session surprised me. 

We watched a video, and after the first few seconds I thought it was destined to be the painfully cheesy in-applicably optimistic type, but as I sat there somewhat amazed, I felt nothing short of inspired.

Dewitt Jones, a famous photographer for National Geographic, spoke about "celebrating what's right with the world" as a lifestyle and a daily routine. That our perceptions become our realities and that we have complete control over how we choose to view the world around us.

Both nature and humanity. 

What a wonderful way to live life...celebrating what's right with our surroundings and the world we live in every single day. Seeing the opportunities first. It is so easy to be bogged down and distracted by all the things I pile on as wrong  or that I wish were different that it can blind me from first seeing the good. The things that are right. When you look at it with those intentions...

the beauty cannot help but simply abound all around. 

So on this perfect 70 degree autumn day in the District, I want to do nothing more than to celebrate every minute of it.

photo taken in Central Park by Carin Davis