The Ugly Electrical Box
When we first considered buying the house that is now our home, I was immediately drawn to the beautiful woods that border the backyard of the property. A private outdoor living space overlooking woods was high on my ‘would like to have’ list. But looking out towards the vast expanse, it was hard not to notice the ugly electrical box sitting approximately twenty feet from the house and positioned directly in-between the house and the forest. My immediate reaction when I saw this grey cement eyesore was “Somehow, we’re going to have to hide this.”
But as I sit here on this early spring morning, sipping coffee and gazing at the woods, I’m captivated by all the sights and sounds of life, newly awakened from their wintertime slumber. Trees, shrubs, weeds, and vines proudly show off their springtime splendor of leaves, rich and green. The deep woods ring loud with glorious melodic symphonies of birds singing to one another in their own, unique voices. Males trying to woo females. In the early evening, little brown rabbits emerge from the edge of the brush, eager to munch on freshly sprouted grass.
As I embrace all things beautiful about this forest, suddenly, the ugly electrical box isn’t so noticeable anymore. It has escaped my attention. There are plenty of lovely things to focus on when I choose to look past the ghastly sight that encapsulates our electrical power.
Isn’t this just like life? We all have plenty of ugly things going on that steal our mindfulness and squash our joy. But directly behind all the ugly, there is a wide stretch of goodness, grace and beauty. If we’re not careful, we can miss it.
In proportion to the forest, the unsightly electrical box is very small. The forest is broad and its depth, extensive. Its perimeter takes up much more space than the unpleasant electrical box. The less-than-beautiful things in life cannot be dismissed, as they often become transformational teachers, but the goodness and grace of God always outshines the unattractive and unwanted parts of our stories. The ugly slowly diminishes as we turn our attention towards all that is pure, noble, and excellent.
I’ve decided not to hide this horrible looking thing after all. It’s a perfect reminder that life is both ugly AND beautiful, and we often experience both simultaneously. It’s what we choose to focus on that makes the difference in our days.
What about you? What are the good things in your life on which you can set your sights instead of the ugly? I’m sure they are there. If you look, you will find them.
