Beautiful

Victor Hugo can be longwinded. But some of what he writes is stunning. My book group is reading Les Miserables this month. I feel this great redemptive power, even a change in myself as I read this intricate story of revolutionary France. There are many words to live by, but so far in my reading my favorite passage is from the old bishop, Monseigneur Bienvenu: "Beautiful is as useful as the  useful.... Perhapse more so." This remindes me of the Article of Faith 13 that admonishes us seek after that which is "lovely, vituous, of good report, or praiseworthy." Beauty and seeing real beauty might be a virtue and skill of days gone by. I hope we are calm enough and slow enough to see those things that are beautiful and bring joy and peace.