"So what are you excited to see?"

On the evening before our flight to Paris, a small group of us drove into downtown Salt Lake City for dinner. The discussion had been either Mexican (The Red Iguana) or Thai. The consensus was Thai so a few minutes later we found ourselves at the Café Trang on the southwest corner of 200 South and 300 West.

As plates of Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese entrees were passed amongst the group, our conversation quickly centered on our pending in service expedition. After a few minutes the question was posed as to “what are you excited to see on the trip?” As each person took their turn to express their thoughts, many of the answers included the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Acropolis, and Saint Peter’s Basilica.

During this exchange I thought about what my answer would be when it was my turn. Greece immediately came to mind, mainly because of its cradle of great thought that still affects us today from the great Greek thinkers and teachers such Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato. As a young Mormon missionary in Mexico many years ago we used the Socratic method of directed questions to share the beliefs of our faith with those who were interested in hearing our message. Additionally, any college level public speaking course will teach you Aristotle’s theories of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When it did become my time to share my thoughts, I mentioned that I was looking forward to the “antiquity of it all.” Even though there have been great ancient civilizations in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres, I personally believe that at least in the realm of classic architecture, Europe far surpasses the Americas. Case in point, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was begun in the 12^th century. The closest example of such architecture in the Americas wasn’t begun until the 16^th century after the Spanish conquered the Aztecs of central Mexico. The Spanish destroy the Aztecs’ Templo Mayor and in its place begin construction of what is now the great Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown Mexico City.

So the question I pose now is “do we have to travel to great historical sites anywhere in the world to see great beauty?” In my mind the answer is no. Yes, there is great beauty in Europe and other parts of the world that most of us do not call home. But there is beauty right in front of us wherever we live. Have you ever walked down a path that you do on a daily basis and looked down to see the first budding flowers of spring breaking through the warm brown earth after a long, cold, and dreary winter? How about looking out the window of your living room and seeing a gorgeously colored sunset that reminds you of a loved one that is no longer with you?

“For the beauty of the earth” is one song of Thanksgiving that reminds us of the beauty all around us. The next time you are hurried, take a moment and look at the beauty that surrounds you where you are. Smell it, touch it, embrace it, and love it!