Getting used to a sometimes un-beautiful world

I live in a medium-sized town in regional New South Wales, Australia. In some ways it's quite a lovely town - many of the streets are lined with trees, there are quite a few graceful old buildings around town (well, "old" by Australian standards. . . ). And yet, like any other town, there are areas that are relatively bare and ugly. As we drive or walk along some of these streets, I often wish that it was in my power to beautify the surrounding neighbourhood. - Planting trees everywhere to cover up the run-down old fibro houses, filling the place with lush green growth. Digging up the patchy brown lawns and planting vegetable gardens, giving the whole area an aura of life and productivity. 

Then I fall back to earth.

Fast-forward a few weeks: we'll drive past the same houses. Same bare, brown "gardens" that don't deserve the word. Same fibro houses, desperately wanting a good paint job. And I get so frustrated!

I do love beauty and beautiful things, and when I see the same old uninspiring neighbourhood or landscape again and again, it really gets me down! I just want to do something about it! Do something to make the world a more beautiful place.

It reminds me of a time - I would have been about 12 - when I was reading an article in an old National Geographic. It was about Mexico City, and its problems with pollution and overcrowding. I felt a very strong urge to rebuild all of Mexico City. Sure, if I had a few trillion dollars to spare, that might be a nice little project for me to work on.

Anyways. Have any of you ever felt that way? Or is it just me?

Note: The photo isn't a picture of any house in our neighbourhood - it's just a random pic I got off the internet. ;-)

Current Mood: Thoughtful