Anyone quick to scoff that Toronto is nothing but a big, ugly city clearly has no idea where to look. Of course there are areas that have become refuge to the underprivileged and, subsequently, fallen into disrepair. And there are a couple of neighbourhoods that are a wee bit unsavoury to walk through after dark. There are also the ubiquitous & never-ending construction sites adding monuments of glass & steel that reach ever upward. But you’d be hard pressed to find a big city that doesn’t sport similar attributes.

If you’re willing to really open your eyes, however, and look beyond what should be perceived as ugly, you’ll see quite quickly that there is beauty to be found all over this city.

Before moving to my new-found home, I lived in a small, homogeneous city that was always clean & always tidy and nobody ever looked out of place. The culture shock that hit me upon my arrival was swift & harsh. But it was also short-lived.

I learned that what makes a large, urban centre truly beautiful is its brilliant amalgam of people; people from all walks of life, all cultures, all ethnicities, all economic standings, all sexual orientations, all mental capacities.

So when I stroll through a city park in a less-than-upscale neighbourhood, I see beauty. I see it in an elderly immigrant couple holding hands. I see it in a young addict sharing a quiet smoke with a weathered, homeless man. I see it in an empty, peaceful park bench. I see details. I see beauty