hustle and bustle

Tis the season of crowds and shopping, traffic and short tempers.

So many people in one collective rush.

I was out one night this month, camera slung on my shoulder, when I came upon this beautiful window display of what seemed to be hundreds of white paper circles all strung together in a gorgeous garland. So pretty, so simple and so festive.  Who was noticing?  No one while I was there.  I stopped, stepped back, removed myself from the ever pulsing stream of people, and lifted my camera to capture the scene.  The beautiful window, the blur of the people rushing past, the sign in the window reads, "beyond shopping" and somehow that seemed so appropriate.  If everyone could see beyond the shopping what beauty might they notice?  If they slowed down, exhaled more, looked around instead of straight ahead all the time, they too might find something really beautiful right there just waiting to be seen. 

Today take a moment and appreciate something beautiful around you and share it here with us.  Maybe together we can slow down the hustle and bustle of the up coming days just a little..

Comments

[Audra Van Vliet]

My friend, Wendy.

[Audra Van Vliet]

Here is the picture!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellsbellarina/5239422145/in/photostream/

[Kat]

I hear you! Stores and communities go to such an effort to make things beautiful for the holidays, it is great to take a moment to enjoy them. Don't forget to look up too!
http://www.kateyeview.com/2010/12/star-light-star-bright.html

[Kristina]

Taking the great template of the Shutter Sisters as a guide, I took the time to develop a calendar for 2011 - my christmas gift for my family. This community is beautiful and all the creativness which results from it is wonderful! Thanks so much and wishing you all a wonderful christmas.

http://le-fabuleux-destin-de.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-calendar-2011-part-1.html

Kristina

[Marcie]

Something really beautiful? Away from the crowds and hustle and bustle and simply enjoying what only this time of year has to offer. An 'Ode to Joy':
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1399

[christine]

I've been so sick the last few weeks, but the last really beautiful thing I saw was the first snow here in the U.K.:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35957913@N00/5220732655/

[christine]

I want to share this with you too:

http://just-travelin-through.blogspot.com/2010/12/for-you-this-christmas.html

[Jill F]

http://fingerontheshutter.com/2010/12/21/december-sunset/

a good reminder--take time to appreciate

[DorkyMum]

I noticed the beautiful sunlight coming in my kitchen window and reflecting off this glass decanter top - you can also see the lovely snowy scene out the window!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dorkymum/5282515951/

[Megan]

A vase in my house - near the Christmas tree: http://onethousandwordsormore.com/2010/12/20/imperfect/

[Debi]

i LOVE this image - your image. love that window. love who thought it up - lol!

the house across the street from me has indoor tinsel across an outside window. it is the view from my couch and it is hung crookedly and i admit that drove me crazy until the morning i just stopped complaining and began to enjoy it. and suddenly saw it and its surroundings anew.

http://emmatree.blogspot.com/2010/12/advent-day-6-house-that-once-was-marys.html

[humbird]

On my way into town on Solstice Day to do a little shopping for my guys. I pulled onto the freeway shoulder to capture this moment of peace.

http://humbirdhum.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/white-serenity/

[thea]

slowing down this morning to appreciate the cuteness of our fluffy cat wanting to go to school...http://www.flickr.com/photos/theacoughlin/5283419408/

[Tina]

i found this yesterday while working on christmas presents. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mageejenks/5282877539/

[shirley]

Some beauty in the snow and frost:
http://www.shirleybehindthelens.com/2010/12/color-in-snow.html

[rawqueen]

I am celebrating my centennial post. And had a ball with some macro photos of my latest piece Talula! You can see more of her here: http://somethingblu.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/give-away-post-celebrating-100-from-the-rock/

[Kimberly]

Great post! Love that message "beyond shopping."

[Angela]

I've been feeling really stressed out this week with everything that needs doing, and then I went outside and looked UP:
http://angela-hemming.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-attempt-at-shooting-lunar-eclipse.html

[Jenny Rebecca]

Amid the hustle & bustle of a special kids' version of the Nutcracker, there was a not very visited table by the Orlando Ballet Company off to the side with flyers for the upcoming season and piles of toe shoes spread all around. I thought they were beautiful. And quite serene compared to the tables where they were selling nutcrackers!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fanglord2/5274738015/in/pool-1046943@N23/

[Lisa]

Lovely post! It's been raining for the past few days here, so grey and gloomy! But when I took a step back from it all, I noticed, that the world wasn't grey at all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29380197@N03/5283851456/

[Melissa]

Love this silhouette!

[Aia]

we all need to learn how to breathe a little more deeply this time of year :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aclamp/5283531823/

[Siri]

Love that capture. Reminds me of the years when I would to catch the bus into downtown Seattle the week before Christmas to window shop.
I can never get enough of the old-timey decorations in downtown Whitefish, Montana.
Tonight I stopped for a moment before getting back into the pickup for the hour long drive home:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/87255087@N00/5283931299/

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[Corinna]

I have been in full hustle-bustle mode for days (years?) but yesterday I took a few minutes to wind my way up a mountain road and found this:
http://www.birdwannawhistle.com/blog/2010/12/22/mixed-bag.html

[Jennifer]

while I was shopping I did not capture anything beautiful with my camera but I heard something beautiful. While I was standing in line there was a lady struggling with her things a few people ahead of me. The gentleman behind her said "let me carry that for you while we wait. I do not have anything to carry." And he helped her with her things. That made my day...a bit of kindness between strangers during this busy holiday rush. Just witnessing it all unfold made my heart smile big inside.

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