On beauty emergencies
Or why you run outside in PJs with your kids some mornings
In a virtual workshop last week, we were asked to introduce ourselves by way of our favorite thing about autumn. I chose my tried and true answer: the colors. Normally, when I think of the colors of fall, I think of trees. This year, however, I have realized how many other parts of nature are showing off warm hues of golden, magenta, deep red, burnt orange, and more.
That same morning was a prime example. As I fixed my son’s breakfast, I saw a pink glow in the western sky. Curious, I peaked out a different side of the house and saw a most stunning sunrise. Right as he and I were about to head out to look, my daughter woke up wanting our company. We ran into her room, greeted her calmly, then proclaimed “There’s a beauty emergency! Quick, we have to go look at the sunrise!”. All of us fled outside in our pajamas, with no shoes. It was worth it:
After basking in the glory of the beauty for a few minutes, my feet and ankles became cold and a bit sore. I started to look around our court to see if there were any neighbors out. I wanted them to be enjoying the sky, but I was also concerned they would judge me and my sometimes feral children. We were outside, barefoot, in PJs on the first morning of November, after all.
To my surprise, no one else was out with us; no one gazing at the sky or raising an eyebrow at my family. Luckily though, my insecurities led me to look opposite of the sunrise again. I yelped with delight, “Kiddos! There’s a rainbow! A sunrise rainbow! Look!!” I truly have never seen so much color surrounding us, the whole sky like a painting from a dream. It felt miraculous; similar to the aurora borealis, but at a time of day my children could enjoy it with me.
Eventually our next door neighbors came out (ones we call grand-neighbors and who appreciate a barefoot child). We marveled at the sky together, tracing the arch of the rainbow and finding the other side, slightly more muted. My children wanted to eat breakfast outside, to not miss a moment of the beauty, which I fully supported. I spoke of the gratitude of the beauty around us; of our ability to drop everything for the sake of a “beauty emergency” and revel in barefoot autumnal moments.
P.S. - Please, please vote today if you live in the United States. Let’s center compassion and democracy and the beauty of collective care.