My kindergarden teacher gave us an assignment: Go outside to the playground and pick up one thing from nature that you think is beautiful. My classmates began scurrying around in a race to find the most beautiful things before anyone else could get their hands on them. I lingered next to the door, wondering how I could ever just pick one thing when I saw so much beauty. I watched as the kids picked up leaves, rocks, twigs, and blades of grass. I didn't want anything anyone else had, of...