The "Pretty Way"

beauty outside my window...

'Where the devil have you been, you good-for-nothing Irish rascal?' roared an indignant voice.
'I came the pretty way,' came the nonchalant reply.  (Italics mine, from Penelope Wilcock's The Hawk and the Dove Trilogy.)

In an interesting post, "Return to Beauty", Maria described how, in her quest for simplicity, she purged her home of beautiful things that had brought her much pleasure.  Recognizing that God Himself surrounds Himself with and infused His creation with beauty, she is realigning both her inner spirit and exterior life to make room for it again.

Then there's Lord Byron's She Walks in Beauty...

She walks in beauty, like the night

   Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

   Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

   Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

   Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

   Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

   How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

   So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

   But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

   A heart whose love is innocent!

~~~~~~

I want to walk in beauty..
to be soft, calm, yet eloquent 
with smiles that win, days spent in goodness,
peaceful mind, and heart full of innocent love. 
I want to come the pretty way! 
Come to think of it, this is right on track with my "Word for 2012" --
GRACIOUSNESS.
C.S. Lewis said, 
 "Very often the only way to get a quality in reality
 is to start behaving as if you had it already."   
I'm trying to behave as
AND praying to become a gracious woman.