A failure of seeing
If you think bare trees are ugly, look again.
A winter sunrise from my bedroom window, March 2024
“If you think something is ugly, look harder. Ugliness is just a failure of seeing.”
― Matt Haig
I bought the lot on which my current home was built because it had trees on three sides. I take a lot of fabulous sunrise photos out the east-facing windows of my home, toward the Potomac River. But the back windows have glorious views of blooming trees in spring, bright flowers in summer, and dazzling foliage in the autumn. Winter? Not as spectacular most times of the day. But those sunrise colors are stunning in that direction, too, with the bare trees in dramatic silhouette.
One reason I love to take photographs is that it helps me to focus on beautiful aspects of things that I might otherwise miss. With a camera, I go hunting for lovely images to save. We really do find what we are looking for, and beauty is no exception. So looking out at those gray, leafless trees on a gloomy winter day, I appreciate them. I know that they’ll be green soon enough, and in the meantime, they put on quite a show each morning.
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- Tagged: appreciation, beauty, daydreaming, discovery, focus, gratitude, imagination, inviting, looking, mindfulness, nature, places, seeing, sunrise, trees, winter
Defeat Despair 
Hello Julia! 😀
Your words always seem to find a way to resonate with me. This post is no exception—it’s a beautiful reminder to look deeper and appreciate what we might overlook at first glance.
Thank you for sharing your reflections and photos—your kindness and insight shine through in every post!
Miss you and I’m missing out a lot being overwhelmed by my PhD studies 😦
I hope you & your loved ones are safe and warm, Julia!
Hello Heba! What a joy to hear from you! I have thought of you many times over the years, wondering how you are doing. Are you still in Michigan? I know what it’s like to be overwhelmed by school (I had to quit my own PhD program halfway to ABD, the year after Jeff died, when I had no help to care for Matthew). I never missed it. 😀 I do miss you though! And I’m so happy you are here when you are able to be here! My latest sorrow (as you may have read here at the blog) is the unexpected death of my sister last year. She was my lifelong best friend and the grief has been deep and profound, but as we both know, God is a rock and a refuge. Thank you so much for being part of this community that provides strength and solace to Matthew and me! I hope you and your family are blessed with a wonderful year in 2025!
Julia, your kind words truly mean so much to me! I’ve thought of you often as well and always find comfort and wisdom in your reflections. I’m deeply sorry to hear about your sister’s passing—I hadn’t known, and my heart goes out to you. Losing a lifelong best friend is a grief beyond words, but I admire the strength and faith that continue to shine through you. May God’s peace and comfort surround you, just as your words have comforted so many of us over the years. 🥰
I’m still in Egypt for 10 years now, can’t believe how fast years go by! Wishing you and Matthew a year filled with love, healing, and unexpected moments of joy. 💗
Hi Heba, I don’t know where I got the idea that you were in Michigan?! Perhaps you had mentioned being in school there at some point. I do recall the lovely photos of Egypt you sent me a few years ago, but I assumed you were on vacation there. Perhaps someday I can visit Egypt in person. I’m sure it is stunning. If I ever do travel that way, I’ll be sure to let you know! I have an Oxford classmate who lives in Qatar and we have talked of my visiting her sometime, so maybe Egypt is not an impossible dream! Thanks again for your presence here and for your condolences. Wishing you and your family all the best! ❤
Julia,
We lived in one of our homes for 20 years plus. We thought of moving on but it was less expensive to remodel instead. When the chore was over we found that we did move. For the new addition complete with larger window opened up the rooms so much that there were views that we had never seen before and in that the beauty of the brook behind our house and all the trees and foliage was revealed. Making it seem that we had truly moved to a new location.
-Alan
Alan, what a wonderful blessing, to have such confirmation that you did the right thing by staying in one place and simply changing the view! (Although, having had a bit of experience with remodeling, “simple” is hardly the word for it…Jeff and I found out the hard way why so many people opt NOT to do it!) Don’t you just love those windows to the world, that change with the seasons and let us bring the outdoors in when it is too cold or rainy or hot to venture outside? I’m so happy to think of you in “the quiet corner” of CT, enjoying the beauty of trees and a brook and all that God gives us each day in the natural world. Sending you many warm wishes for an early springtime! I hear a cardinal calling…
An Amen to that, my friend!
-Alan
Thank you, Alan!
Good morning, Julia!
Thank you for the reminder to look out the window more often at winter sunrise. The current temperature here is -11. I think yesterday was -15. The air can be so clear at these temperatures, and the morning sun so much more impressive.
OH, my! As always, you give me some perspective with your local weather. I was “freezing” while taking my daily walk yesterday in 30 degree weather. Despite my latest fun purchase (rechargeable hand warmers) the wind off the river was so chilly it made my face HURT despite the sun that still shone through the late afternoon, so I cut my walk a bit short. Today while I’m walking I’ll think “but it’s BELOW ZERO for Susan!” and think myself lucky!! 😀
Julia, when there’s a brisk wind at 30 degrees, it’s still COLD. You still need to protect yourself from windburn and hypothermia.
It’s the wind that always gets me, even when it’s sunny. I’ve learned to take a scarf to wind around my face when it’s really bad.