THE BEAUTY OF DIFFERENCE

Every morning I start my day with some quiet time in my office. I havea nice comfy recliner I curl up in with my cup of coffee. My chairfaces the window to east, so every morning I get to watch the day dawn.Some mornings I am there so early that the sun hasn't risen yet. Ienjoy watching the stars twinkle in the pre-dawn. Slowly the sunbegins to rise, and light begins to push back the darkness. Theprocess is fascinating.Some mornings I am treated to a spectacular sunrise scene. The colorsbouncing off the nearby clouds give me a pleasing light show. I watchthe colors change from pink to purple to orange to yellow. Other mornings it's stormy outside, and all I see are storm cloudsangrily racing across the sky. There's magnificence in the power ofthe storm as it marches through affecting everything around. And then there are the mornings where nothing particularly spectacularis going on. The sky is clear, and as the sun rises, it quietly burstsforth onto the scene lighting the earth.I sat there in my quiet chair enjoying the view outside my windowrecently and realized how blessed I am to look out the same window andsee so many different skies. Each sky, so very different, has its ownintrinsic beauty. The skies don't try to look like each other. Theydon't try to be anything they are not. They are different, and theyare beautiful.The dictionary defines difference as: * The quality or condition of being unlike or dissimilar. * A specific point or element that distinguishes one thing fromanother. * A noticeable change or effect.* Discrimination in taste or choice; distinction.Each one of us is different. Each of us has our own personality,talents, gifts, and ideals. When we take what is uniquely us and use itto build our businesses, we end up with products or services that arenoticeable, distinguished, and distinct. And there is tremendousbeauty in that.Don't try to be like everyone else you see. Take time to find out whatyour passion is and pursue it. Find that element in you that makes youstand out from the crowd and develop it. Do not be afraid to be unique.As you nurture your individuality, your business will be noticedbecause no one can do it just like you.There is beauty in difference.