To me, the most beautiful place on earth is where I grew up, and where my mother still lives. It's a small town in upstate New York, and by objective standards, it has nothing to distinguish itself from any other semi-rural place in the region. It is especially beautiful to me both because of the obvious sentimental reasons and because it is the place that I have seen most deeply. It was there that I learned the beauty of everything from the wild flowers that grew abundantly, to the brilliant reds and golds of the leaves in autumn, to the fauna, including deer, chipmunks, rabbits, and groundhogs. I also found the beauty in things most people would probably overlook: everything from pollywogs -- my house overlooked two swamps, with a third one nearby -- to snakes (very graceful in their movements). A side benefit of having to take my dog out several times a day is that I saw the seasons change, and was able to enjoy the beauty in each season, as well as to watch the trees get bigger from one year to the next.
I also spent much time simply gazing up at the stars. Although the area is filled with light pollution now ("progress" has taken its toll), as I child I was able to enjoy seeing countless stars in the Milky Way. It appeared as a thick and brilliant ribbon through the sky. There were always so many stars visible that it was almost impossible to pick out the constellations, since they were hidden amid a myriad of other stars.
I realize my answer probably sounds corny at best and maudlin at worst, but it's the truth.
Joy,
Lynn
