Philosophical Ponderings

What is beauty?

Before I jump right into the middle of this ocean, I'd like to preface this with a couple things.  Firstly, that I wrote most of this quite a few months ago and for whatever reason have not posted it until now.  And also, these are more akin to personal thoughts and observations than to straight hard facts.

Now, I'm not a philosopher, expert, or even remotely educated in dealing with or answering this question, but lately I've been pondering it.  What is beauty and what does it mean to say God is beautiful?

 From what I have briefly read, there are two "types" of beauty.  That is to say, there is an absolute beauty.  As well as, preference through senses of what is beautiful to an individual.  None (or mostly no one) would argue the beauty of a waterfall, sunrise, language, music, laughter, etc.  But what is specifically pleasing to one (take some artwork for example) may not be to another.

There is beauty in almost everything around us.  That may seem like an obvious or untrue statement but consider it, please. 
The complexity of the universe and its form and function.
The changing of seasons.
A car's engine (maybe that's personal, but consider the mind and science behind its functioning).
A rustling leaf, a blooming flower, green grass.
The complexity and intertwining of the lives all around us.
This list could literally go on forever and quite possibly is infinite.  Only thing, it's so very easy to overlook ALL of it. 

"People always get used to beauty, though." -John Greene

In trying to consider the opposite of beauty, I have yet to find an adequate word.  Ugly is often the first word that comes to mind, but I think it is something far deeper than ugly when one considers the true profundity and richness of beauty.  Other words might be chaos, offensiveness, sin, imperfection, crude, nothing/nothingness, yet I still find all these inadequate.

If one views God as the 'ultimate beauty' and everything beautiful flowing forth from Him, perhaps this may help in consideration of the opposite of beauty.  What is opposite of God?  Hell.  Perhaps there is nothing comprehendible in our lives right now that can give us the full explanation in regards to opposite because nothing in any man's life is fully independent and separate from God.  Perhaps only hell, where God is (possibly?) not, will a true opposite be.  This is a frightening, incomprehensible thought! 

Are you (am I) an outpouring of life and beauty to those souls we encounters?  Or do we drive them further from the Ultimate Beauty and closer to hell?  And, I beg of you, please do not become desensitized to the beauty around you!  


(Perhaps it will take all of eternity for us to understand beauty but if any of you would like to give your thoughts and opinions on any of this, please do!)  

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