When I was a little girl my mom used to read to me all the time. One of my favorite books throughout my childhood is one I still to this day call The Lupine Lady, but is really titled "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney. This book tells the story of the life of Miss Rumphius, and begins with her grandfather giving her some very important advice.

Her grandfather is a world traveler, and she wants to be just like him when she reaches adulthood. When she tells her grandfather this, he tells her there is something else she must do with her life, "You must do something to make the world more beautiful." What does Miss Rumphius do with her grandfathers words? Well, she does just that.

It's been years since I have read that story, but the grandfather's words have never left my thoughts. When I was little I wanted to be just like Miss Rumphius, running all over town with a big bag of lupine seeds, spreading them everywhere so that eventually the town would be full of color and beauty. However, I think some people might have a problem with me planting flowers in their yards without permission...

Luckily, there is more than one way to make the world more beautiful. Come together as a community and fix up that old abandoned house that has been an eye sore and a safety hazard for years. Cover the graffiti on buildings and bridges with community murals (but ask for permission first!). Pick up trash along the side of your road. Bake cookies for a neighbor who you may not know very well. Making the world more beautiful means you leave this world better than it was before you got there, and that is something that we should all strive for over the course of our lives.

Beauty is not skin deep. The world becomes more beautiful when you plant flowers, but it also becomes beautiful when people take a genuine interest in their community. So, if you too want to make the world more beautiful, think about the problems in your community, and try to find a solution. we can all make the world more beautiful, it just takes kindness and a little effort.

Miss Rumphius and her grandfather teach us a very important lesson. You can see the world, you can live a full and happy life, but you are never truly done until you do something to make the world more beautiful. So, let's all find our own way of following Miss Rumphius, and shower the world in beauty.