“Anything in any way beautiful derives its beauty from itself and asks nothing beyond itself. Praise is no part of it, for nothing is made worse or better by praise.” – Marcus Aurelius

Photo by Kim Hattaway

For all of the things that we give to the world, all of the things we create and all of the services we provide, there is a part of us that always craves recognition for our efforts. Yet how much more beautiful they become when we do them simply because they need to be done. How magnificent they become when we do them for the sheer sake of doing them, when we give to life to simply live. In all of your activities today, appreciate them merely for the beauty they bring to the world and let them sing their own praises as you simply rejoice in your ability to perform them. It is already a beautiful world, all the more so because you are contributing to it.

Steve McAllister  (360 Posts)

Steve McAllister, Modern Hippie Mag's resident Lifestyle Guru, describes himself as a Renaissance Man. An author, filmmaker, songwriter, and perpetual artistic experimenter, he has recently re-released his second book The Rucksack Letters into paperback to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journey. His latest book, a comical foray into philosophical science fiction, is How to Survive an Estralarian Mind Meld. His latest artistic project is The Labyrinth of the Unbroken Path. .