What strange thought about the world occurs to Cole, as he lays watching the Spirit Bear swim out into the bay? Chapter 12

While watching the Spirit Bear swim out into the bay, Cole suddenly has a strange thought about the world... he suddenly sees the world's beauty.

A strange thought occurred to Cole: the world was beautiful. Yes, the world was beautiful! Even the wet mossand crushed grass near his hand was beautiful. Staring at the delicate patterns, he wondered why he had never noticed this all before. How much beauty had he missed in his lifetime? How much beauty had he destroyed?