Too Much Beauty

I'm currently sitting outside in my backyard in Southern California enjoying the beautiful 70 degree weather.  My backyard is one of my favorite places; my mom works very hard to keep it beautiful, with a number of different colorful plants and flowers.  She's even planted different fruits and herbs- we grow apples, plums, limes, lemons, tomatoes, and more herbs then I can count.  Lights adorn our trees, and when the sun sets this place is a wonderland.  Whenever I come back here, I am reminded of the beauty in the everyday; something as simple as a bright pink Gerber daisy in a sunny yellow flowerpot makes me happy. 
There is nothing better than coming home after being away at school for so long.  Luckily, I am fortunate enough to make fairly frequent trips home for birthdays and various holidays; not everyone has this ability.  When I do come home, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to live in such a gorgeous place.  Most would call this town a bubble, and to an extent I can understand that.  There isn't a whole lot to do, especially for the teenagers in this town.  There are more furniture stores than anything else.  However, we're a short 15 minute drive from the beach, close to malls, movie theaters, outdoor shopping centers, and so much more.  Being away for school has made me appreciate this small town more than I ever thought I could, and as I sit outside on this gorgeous sunny day, I am able to look up and stare at blue sky- something that is rare for me, especially living in the gloomy city of Corvallis, Oregon.  I can taste summer (and the sweet strawberries that I just ate) on my lips; it'll be here in less than a week, and I can't wait to sit by the pool, go to the Santa Monica beaches, and regain all the Vitamin D I lost from months and months of rain and cloudy skies.  Sitting here, thinking about maybe making my way over to a friends house to lay out by the pool, I am reminded of a quote from the movie Stay.  One of the main characters is contemplating suicide, and his therapist talks to his girlfriend who had once had similar thoughts in her life.  Her advice: 

There's too much beauty to quit.