Riding back from the beach tonight on I5 South, downtown Seattle over Lake Union caught my attention. It was so beautiful. An island of lights, a graceful glittering blanket draped over the skyline. Electrifying.

At the same time, I found myself thinking of what downtown can seem up close. In the heart of downtown, up close and personal, it can be so ugly. All the dank alleys, the dumpsters, the trash on the streets, the boundless cement, the dirt and hustle and bustle of city life everywhere you look.

I wonder if many things are like that -- extraordinarily beautiful if only you can gain the distance and perspective to view them from the right vantage point.