Jan. 31, 2025 Noelle Barclay
Heidelberg, Germany

When prompted about beautiful moments, an abundance of little images flew through my brain. Glimpses of people dancing in the street, beautiful sunrises, shared glances with strangers, flowers blooming in places of deep pain and grief, and so many more. I continue to learn more and more that beauty comes not from everything being perfect, but instead, shines in the light of human complexity, emotion, and also creation. It is chaos and mess and forgiveness and laughter and choosing to love deeply. It is seen in vulnerability and choosing to open up, even in the fear of hurt. Choosing to expect good and hold space for hope in the future. 

This past year was simultaneously one of the best and hardest years of my life. I was emotionally and mentally spent, and also surrounded by a beautiful, thriving community, seeing God transform me and those around me, and living in a beautiful German city abroad. I was lucky enough to travel a lot, and upon reflection, as people asked me what my favorite trip was, I decided one of my favorites was a solo trip to Mallorca, an island of Spain.

 Leading up to this trip, I was completely exhausted in every way and just needed to get away. A stressful job, early mornings and much too late of nights, an unstable home life, and declining emotional health were some factors pouring into my continued mental deterioration. As one with little budget does, I hopped on the Ryan Air website, perusing flights with destinations ranging from London to Jordan, and stumbled upon a cheap flight to Mallorca. Upon further research, I decided to book the trip, settling upon the green, warm-ish (it was early April), and beachy island, versus sight seeing. My intentions going in were to have a weekend away, free of screens, not meeting people, but just sitting in the presence of God, which is exactly what I accomplished. I managed to not speak to anyone, except for the cashiers at the store and a few precious abuelas, which was a feat in itself as a hyper-social person. I roamed the island in the rain, sat on vacant beaches reading, swam in the sea, people watched in cafes, prayed a lot in beautiful churches, and walked TONS, all whilst surviving off of PB&J sandwiches for almost every meal. It was perfect. My feet hurt massively and my heart still hurt some, but there was something healing about being alone, surrounded by God’s beautiful creation. As I walked and sat and reflected, I became more and more grateful for the love that surrounds each place. I became energized again by the sun and waves and trees and a very scary goose. I loved seeing the vibrant lemon trees, sheep grazing, a couple cheering each other on while biking, the people on their way to work, streams running through fields, and the waves rolling onto the beach. I did not take the sun for granted, as she peeked out from behind the clouds where she was meant to stay for the week. I slowed down and noticed, which I think is one of the most straightforward ways to highlight the beauty all around you. Slow down. Breathe. Look around. See the beauty. Appreciate. Stand in awe of God. 

A small dilemma that I encountered was that, again regarding the cheap flight, my plane landed pretty late coming back to Germany and the last bus I was planning to take ended up getting cancelled. I was going to have to take a bus and then sit outside, in not the warmest weather, from the hours of one until four a.m. in order to get back for work in time the next morning. Leading up to the trip, I prayed daily that some form of transportation would pop up, but no luck was found. I was absolutely dreading it. I even took a video of myself basking on the beach for the journey, reminding myself that the long, terrible night was worth it. When boarding was meant to begin at the airport, it just never did and there was a general state of confusion among the crowd. We thought that they may be sticklers about bags or have some passport trouble, but no one had any further information, so we continued to just wait around. A woman, a tiny bit older than me, and also the first person I’ve had real interaction with on this trip, proceeded to approach me and ask if I had any idea what was going on. We proceeded to talk through what the possible delays could be and then, over the course of the next hour and a half of delay, talk about life and travel and relationships and so on and so on. Towards the beginning of the conversation, she had told me she was staying with her aunt in the city we were flying into and I told her a bit about my not ideal situation, before getting caught up in other topics. When the flight finally boarded, we said goodbye, headed to our separate seats for the flight, and settled in for the ride. 

A few hours later, we deboarded into the cold and rainy Germany. I was exhausted and not looking forward to sitting outside for the next few hours. As I trekked moodily towards my impending coldness, I spotted my new friend waiting for me at the end of the runway and her next few words changed my night, and honestly life a bit. “I would love to drive you home”, were the angelic words that proceeded to come out of her mouth. I was a bit confused, as I thought she was staying with her aunt, but graciously took her up on the offer. And for those concerned about my safety, I felt confident and safe riding with her, as she was literally an answered prayer standing in front of me. On the way home, we had more really great conversations, going deep into life things. We talked openly and honestly, knowing that we only had this connection in the now, giving one another advice and sharing laughter, as well as the heavier things of life. She showed me the beauty and genuine nature of humanity, and our conversations revealed the complexities of human nature’s desires, grief, dreams, and relationship to one another and our earth. This night also opened my eyes to how God incorporates people into his plan without them ever even knowing. As I told someone afterwards, that was the most dad moment I’ve ever experienced with God, as he mercifully sent me a way home in the form of such a kind human. I obviously would’ve made it through the night and braced the cold, but God was just so sweet and thoughtful, preparing a way back home for me. My heavenly father took care of me, as an earthy father might’ve, not wanting his daughter to sit in discomfort and constantly on alert, instead replacing that with comfort and safety and rest. 

As a lover of creation and people, I am confident that beauty can be found anywhere if you are searching for it. It doesn’t need to be just in the most lovely of places. It can be found in airports, despite delays. It can be found in the warmth of people’s smiles and action, despite language and cultural barriers. In the mundane, beauty can be found in pattern and intentionality. In the midst of tragedy, it is found in comfort and the banding together of people. In joy, through smiles and laughter and celebration. In confrontation, found in compromise and bravery. Through creation there is beauty in abundance. The feeling of sun on our skin, the sound of chirping birds, the way ecosystems are so deeply intertwined, watching a fire crackle or stream trickle, and the changing of leaves. I believe that in every emotion and situation, there are glimpses, or sometimes images in full, of hope and beauty to carry us through. And my prayer for us is that as we walk through life, in light of the complexities, hardships, and everchanging seasons, that our eyes would be open to the beauty that can be found all around us.