Have you ever stopped to think about how much beauty we can borrow from the people around us? Voltaire once said that appreciation is a wonderful thing because it makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well. To me, this means that when we truly notice and celebrate a virtue in someone else, we aren't just being polite; we are actually expanding our own souls. We are inviting their light, their courage, or their kindness to live within our own hearts. It turns a simple observation into a shared treasure.
In our busy, everyday lives, it is so easy to focus on what we lack or what we find frustrating in others. We tend to look at the world through a lens of comparison, which often leaves us feeling small or empty. But when we shift our focus toward appreciation, the world changes shape. Suddenly, the strength of a friend becomes a source of inspiration for our own struggles, and the patience of a stranger becomes a blueprint for how we might handle our own difficult days. We start to realize that excellence isn't something meant to be envied from afar, but something meant to be embraced.
I remember a time when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed and quite a bit lost. I was watching a friend navigate a very difficult situation with such incredible grace and calm. At first, I felt a pang of jealousy, wondering why I couldn't be that composed. But then, I decided to truly practice what Voltaire suggested. I sat with my feelings and focused deeply on appreciating her composure. Instead of feeling diminished by her strength, I felt a strange sense of warmth. By acknowledging her excellence, I felt as though I was absorbing a bit of that calm myself. It was as if her peace had become a part of my own toolkit.
This practice of appreciation acts like a bridge, connecting our isolated selves to the vast ocean of human goodness. When we praise a colleague's creativity or admire a neighbor's generosity, we are essentially practicing how to cultivate those same qualities in our own lives. It is a beautiful way to grow without the pressure of forced change; we simply grow by recognizing the greatness that already exists in our orbit.
Today, I want to encourage you to look around your immediate circle. Is there someone whose kindness or determination has caught your eye lately? Try to hold that thought in your mind and truly let it settle. Take a moment to tell them, or even just to silently acknowledge it to yourself. See how much brighter your own world feels when you let their excellence become your own.