At that moment, as I rode past, out of breath, I was thinking to myself that beauty was pain. That is what we always hear right? Whether it is from pinching eyelashes between a small silver torture device, or pouring burning liquids on the skin to remove unwanted hair... beauty has always been pain. We live in a world that cuts, squeezes, shaves, scrubs, plucks, and scalds to perfect our bodies into what we "think" is beauty. Sadly I, like many have fallen into the trap that beauty=pain. I have pulled myself out of bed at all hours to exercise. I have deprived myself of some of the best foods and agonized over every bite I take. I have also burned and twisted my hair and applied and re-applied make-up until I felt like I was beautiful. As I rode my bike, and felt the soft and steady pound of my heart, I tried to remember what I was doing was good for me.
So, is Beauty only seen by the eyes? Is it only visual?
I've also heard beauty is confidence. No matter what you look like, if you have confidence others will see you as beautiful. Could that be true? I remember hearing a story about Marilyn Monroe (an american icon of beauty) that she could walk into a room and get noticed, not because of her body or smile... but because she could turn her light on and off. That "light" was essentially confidence. So, is beauty something inside?
Or, could beauty be talent? Most people find beauty in what is offered by dancers, singers, artists, writers, and actors. I have watched in awe as the talents of others have lit up a room or a stage and have left me feeling tempted to compare myself to their light.
Some also say that true beauty is found in nature. It is found in the symmetry of flowers or the cold, crisp mountains against a blue sky. Others find beauty in the rain and the dark storms that haunt late summers. Or the changing leaves before the November release and all is left bare before winter.
The day I was riding my bike past the elementary school, I was not trying to attain a perfect image of beauty, but to get my body moving after a long day at school. I wanted to exercise and use my body to accomplish something. God makes beauty and the greatest gift is to see someone or something or (the hardest task) to see yourself as beautiful. I know that God's idea of beauty is not the world's spidery thin model with black make-up. But I do know that in nature, we enjoy as much imperfection as perfection and that both were made by God and he sees both as beautiful. So, why is it so hard to see ourselves as beautiful? I think I spend too much time judging myself against an impossible scale. I am who I am and though I may continue to learn how to improve, God sees my best efforts as beautiful and he can teach me to see myself in such a light.
anyone who agrees... check out the movie, Evoultion on www.dove.us It is a perfect example of why the world makes it so hard to love ourselves as we are.
3 comments:
Katie,
True beauty cannot be conformed into one tiny perception. There is beauty all around, no? I know so many beautiful people, and none of them look alike-not one. And I love that. I would hate to see so much mediocre beauty; I would tire of it. I loved your point, about nature, that we see beauty even in imperfection...and I agree that we need to see that in ourselves. So much more often than we allow it. You are certainly beautiful; in an intelligent, lovely, and glowing way. Inside and outside; and that's just the truth (I know you didn't write this post expecting compliments, but I just had to share.).
I've seen the Evolution video by Dove...it is fascinating and sickening all at once. I love Dove for their "Real Beauty" Campaign. Thanks for sharing this.
Lovely Blog!
Katie!
You are so inspiring! You should seriously write a book...I'm not kidding. I love this!
Thanks for sharing it. You are so talented with words!!
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