A collage of four images: a person walking barefoot on a rocky shore with foamy water, a narrow arched alleyway with colorful buildings, a branch with white flowers against a light background, and sand dunes in a desert at sunset.
A dried hydrangea flower with beige and light brown petals that have darker brown and black markings.
Dried yellow flower with green leaves and small buds on a white background.
A branch with nine elongated green leaves.
A collage of four images: a cute lemur sitting on a rock in a lush green setting, a scenic view of red rock formations under a blue sky with white clouds, the interior of a grand building with ornate ceilings and pillars, and a woman taking a selfie overlooking red rock formations, all connected by colorful, abstract digital distortions.

You’re off to Great Place! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!

- Dr Seuss

Piece of torn paper with no visible text or images.
Bronze sculpture of a sitting ram with curled horns, placed on a large reddish rock in front of a red brick wall.
A sprig of a plant with green leaves and small white flowers.
A torn piece of beige paper covering a section of text on a black background.
A woman sitting on large rocks by a body of water during sunset, with her head resting on her knees, wearing a white sweater and green pants, and a white bag next to her.
A pink rose with wilted petals and green buds on the stem.
A close-up of a dried, yellowish flower with dark brown markings on its petals.
A dried pink hydrangea flower with green and brown leaves on a stem.
Snow-capped mountains at sunset with clear sky in the background.
A piece of torn, off-white, textured paper with no text or images.
A dried daisy flower with white petals and a yellow center.

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

-Walt Disney

Logo with a beige circle background, black text reading 'The Wonder Treck,' and a small hand-drawn flower above the text.

What makes life Beautiful?

I’ve often pondered this question a lot in my life. At times, when it felt like all I could see was pain and sorrow.

Life, as we understand it, can mean many things to many different people. For some, it’s a tangled mess of strings and knots, a puzzle to be unraveled until we eventually die. For others, it’s a strange and unpredictable place where the unknown lurks around every corner, offering both risks and rewards. Some may see it as chaos, an ungraspable whirlwind where our attempts to impose order are merely illusions.

At times, we witness incredible kindness within humanity and ourselves, which feels both fulfilling and redeeming. At other times, we confront the harsh realities of life’s many faces.

I believe that life, in every second and every moment we choose to embrace it, is a gift.

To be alive, to be loved, to know love, and to simply exist.

Though for some, living can feel like a sentence or punishment for unknown transgressions in a past life. I’ve felt that way for much of my life. However, once I began to view life through its many perspectives, I discovered that it is an ever-changing, ever-growing experience. If we are willing to look, we can always find joy. It is a choice we make every single day.

Wake up each day, rejoice, and be glad for it.

The things in life, both big and small, have inspired me to share the stories of myself and those I’ve known, our legends, memories, and dreams. Perhaps, by doing so, we can all feel a little more connected, a little more vulnerable, and a little more beautiful.

Explore

A detailed botanical diagram of a Delphinium flower showing parts such as sepals, petals, stamens, pistil, ovary, and style, with labels and annotations indicating each part.
Diagram of a plant with labeled parts including leaf blade, petiole, stipule, midrib, and vein.
A woman sitting on rocks by a lake at sunset, with a white bag beside her, in a peaceful outdoor setting.
An open world map with a mini potted cactus in the center, a vintage camera on the top right, a compass on the bottom left, three Croatian banknotes (50, 100, and 200 kuna) on the bottom right, a silver pen on the top left, and a metal clip on the top left, all arranged on a rustic wooden surface.
A breakfast spread on a wooden table including a croissant with strawberries, a latte with foam art, slices of toasted bread with butter, a salad with greens and eggs, and glasses of water.
A woman sitting on large rocks near a body of water during sunset, with houses and trees in the background.

Al is a Lifestyle & Travel Blogger working in Michigan