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Are you looking or making?

Some people look for a beautiful place, others make a place beautiful.  Hazrat Inayat Khan



Would you believe I think this is one of the most beautiful places in the world?  Oh sure it has it's ugly spots, it has its dark places, it has its grief but it also has great beauty.  Why in the world do I think that?  Why do I look at this and long to be there?  Because some of the people who live in this slum in East Africa (Mathare Valley, Kenya) have made this place beautiful.  They have walked in the dark places, they have touched the ugly spots, they have grieved with the sad and they have introduced beauty to the inhabitants of this place.  They looked for a beautiful place in this valley and couldn't find it so instead of moving on they began to introduce beauty.  They didn't give up on this place or it's people, they worked - they are still working! - to bring beauty and make it beautiful.  
Can't find the beautiful place?  How about introducing beauty to the place you are standing in now?  Don't go searching for beautiful elsewhere, make the place you are in beautiful!  

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