Last night, July 11, I attended a birthday party for two good friends of mine. When I left, I found myself realizing that I had just been in the presence of great, but also harsh, beauty. Great because both of these people are simply that: beautiful. In appearance, yes, but also in ways that can matter more. Their hearts are joyful and capable of so much love and care, which I usually find them exuding but remember that they too are human and don’t always achieve such a state of being.

Harsh because of choices past, not to be brought to light here, that have left me with no category for appreciating this beauty in a way that is appropriate for friendship. My ideas of love and response to beauty have been twisted and maimed. To be in the presence of such beauty burns wounds that don’t quite know how to heal.