Surround yourself with beautiful things. We have all heard it, read about it in magazines…bring fresh flowers into the room, paint the walls your favorite color, buy a great smelling shampoo, treat yourself to a great conditioning treatment, burn a scented candle, plant a tree. Yes, these are wonderful ideas. I have another idea for you. How about surrounding yourself with beautiful people. I’m not talking about Cindy Crawford and Brad Pitt (although he would be fun to look at while he served me lemonade). I’m talking about people that have more to offer to a conversation than “Can you believe Snooki went to the bar while pregnant?!” (no offense intended Snook).

This evening, thanks to a dear friend, I was invited to help celebrate a new found friend’s birthday. As I sat there, the laughter warming me more than the sun, I realized I was surrounded by beauty. Every woman at that table had a story to tell, every woman at that table was excited for one another’s achievements. Not a sour face was made nor a hurtful word uttered. Some of us were meeting face to face for the first time yet it felt we had known each other for ages. We were there to celebrate our friend, and in turn celebrated each other.

Life is short. Pardon my french…shit happens. Life gets in the way more often than not. It is time to surround yourself not just with beautiful things, but with beautiful people. People that see you – not just look at you. People that listen to you – not just hear you. We must reach out to one another and raise each other up. We must embrace these moments of beauty when we can and not let go.