There is beauty in symmetry. Have you ever thought about that? Think of the symmetry we see in the natural world that brings such beauty into our lives. God created the heavens and earth, water and dry land, man and woman, night and day.
Close your eyes for a few moments and try to imagine where you see symmetry in nature. You’ll be happily startled by how much you probably hadn’t noticed or thought about.
Our world exhibits several types of symmetry. But I’m only going to mention a few. You’ll find a link to a great article about nature’s symmetry at the end of the blog.
Perhaps the most obvious example of symmetry is our human body – built around an axis with almost perfect mirror images on each side. Curiously enough, you also see this design reflected in the front end of cars, which look a lot like human eyes, nose and mouth. Even our buildings are geometrically symmetrical – unless specifically designed not to be.
Walking through my garden, I can see numerous examples of symmetry in the flowers and leaves.
Right now, the Oakleaf hydrangeas are sporting their fall colors. Note the design built around a central axis. Each petal of my roses has a center seam and they swirl around the center of the flower. The petals on some of my dahlias are so perfectly symmetrical I’m speechless with wonder. The next time you look at a sunflower, notice the elaborate symmetry of how the Lord arranged the seeds. It’s truly lovely. I hope the goldfinches appreciate it!
Even the insects display symmetry in their structure. If you look at a honeycomb, you’ll notice the bees don’t store honey in circular structures but in hexagons. It seems the Lord decided this was a more efficient use of space and thus better insulation for this golden prize.
The globe spiders weave exceptionally symmetrical webs. Even the centipedes show symmetry.
One of my favorite examples of symmetry is the nautilus. It winds in a perfect spiral to the center of the shell. Its beauty is so evident. My other favorite is the snowflake, a multi-faceted creation with a million variations.
Certainly not all things in nature are symmetrical. The ocean doesn’t appear that way, nor our rivers. The mountains are not symmetrical, but they have two sides that rise to a peak.
Today, wherever you are, look around you. I think you will be amazed at the number of things that display the original Creator’s symmetry in nature. This is another way to appreciate, praise, and love our Lord for sharing such beauty with us through His creation.
“They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty – and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”
Psalm 145:5 NIV
Symmetry article link: https://listverse.com
