his morning I was standing at my kitchen window, which overlooks our neighbor's beautiful garden, musing on nothing in particular while I enjoyed the warmth of the sun and my second mug of coffee. The garden is an urban paradise, just a small lot of the sort everyone has in the city, but filled to the brim with roses and lemon trees and ferns and white stones.

As I stood there a small motion caught my eye, and I looked down at it and spotted a huge rat sauntering through the garden. It was so incongruous it struck my funny bone. I realized that my idea of beauty might be a bit exclusive, as if repulsion has no part in it, yet those lines are completely made up by my imagination and preconceived notions, without any real consideration on my part.

Maybe the things that are truly beautiful can stand on their own, immune to corruption, no matter how many rats pass by. In fact, I think in this world outside of Eden, beauty might need an extra amount of fortitude to withstand the wearing effects of life. Like it or not, we live in a messy place, with rats and roses all mixed in together. It can be pleasantly surprising.