I am sorry that you do not know.
You are beautiful.
No matter how shiny the wrapping or large the bow, when one receives a gift, they peel through the outer layer to see what is hidden inside. I evaluate the beauty of a person this very way. Truly.
I recently saw the lamentations of a friend discussing the unattainable goals of societal beauty. There I sat, with a road map of stretch marks spanning my belly, and a mop of frizz coiffing my head, knowing I am far from the social standards of beauty but feeling peaceful and beautiful in myself. I am not just the untamed mane or scars of skin stretched too fast during pregnancy. I am more than my uniquely Jewish nose, pink skin and crows feet. I am the gift inside the imperfect wrapping. I am a lifetime of brokenness and dreams. I am poetry and humor and song. I am compassion and knowledge and love. I am beautiful, as I am.
Inside every physical body is housed the character of the person who inhabits it. This character; this soul is where genuine beauty is found or lost. The ability one may possess to make another laugh with unbridled vigor is far more necessary to sustain attraction than is a set of perfectly straightened teeth. Youthful good looks and symmetrical features matter not in a person who proves themselves habitually to be unkind, disloyal and quick to anger.
It is my hope for you, my friend, that you see the beauty that others see in you. You are beautiful in your compassion for others, your impeccable comedic timing and the spirit in which you view the world. Your heart for the shared world lights up the wrapping that you are contained within.
Be so very confident in your beauty.
1 comment:
What wonderful words...so much wisdom. I wish all people, young and old, could understand this.
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