Don't hate me because . . . I am exceptionally ordinary.
That is right. There is no need to harbor any ill will towards me, because, well -- I am not "that girl" nor would I ever be confused for "that girl". Nope, not me. Not ever. No Barbie-world for me! Simply ordinary am I . . .
Though lately, I have been bombarded with messages, images, and self-inflicted unrealistic ideas of what "beauty" is. Sometimes (not always, mind you), but sometimes, it can eat away at me -- the concept of beauty. Not in a vain, physical way. (O.K. sometimes, yes. Vain and physical.) But more importantly, I have a great desire to feel beautiful -- just being me.
Sometimes, all of my imperfections -- physical and otherwise -- seem like chains I drag around my ankles, weighing me down with self-doubt. Sometimes, I even hear a voice (perhaps voices) in my head which tell me: I am not skinny enough, not straight-teethed enough, not smooth-skinned enough, not waxed enough, not hair-dyed enough, not tanned enough, not stretch-mark free enough, not pedicured enough, not fancy enough, not high-heeled enough, not head-high enough, not jeweled enough, not smell-good enough, not wrinkle-free enough, etc., etc . . . you get the idea -- NOT PERFECT ENOUGH. The more negative thoughts I think, the more links in the chains, the heavier they feel. Ridiculous, right?
Well, most of the time it does seem ridiculous to me. But, every now-and-again my imperfections, well, they scream at me! At which point, I will pick someone else to examine myself next to -- starting from head, working down to toe. After being incredibly brutal to both parties -- I ALWAYS fall short in comparison. Oh, wretched comparisons. Evil they are.
So the question is: Is beauty skin deep? Or material-wealth created? Or some people are, some people aren't? It would appear to be so . . . if you buy into the messages of the world. Oh, how loud they are!
Beauty Check List:
Hair dye - check
Eye brow pluck - check
Lip color - check
Hair burning (curling/flattening) - check
Ear holes with ornaments - check
Leg hair removal - check
Powdered face - check
Lashes curled - check
Tar on lashes - check, check, check!
Etc., etc., forever . . .
(Yep, I buy into it, too!)
Whatever happened to the good old days of "all natural"? (Don't ask me, I am a make-up crusted girl!) What if that was our only option? What if it was: We are what we are -- no enhancement. What color would all the "blondes" really be?? ;-) Hmmmmm . . . I wonder . . . ???
I am not saying I will give up the tar that I crust on my eyes, or the color I streak through my hair . . . (Hair color I COULD do without. Mascara . . . that would be rough!) I am just saying, what if ?? What would determine "beauty" if we were raw and unpainted? Plain not vain, as it were.
As I flip through some pictures of family history, I am fascinated with the way the women look. There were NONE of the current "advancements" in beauty products. Their bodies were covered from head to toe -- no trace of immodesty, or using their bodies like a shimmering lure, to catch their prey. They were women of virtue. Their value came from within -- not high-fashion glitz and glamour. They were REAL women. Lovely, beautiful women. Who often did lovely, beautiful things. It is etched in their faces. As I read of their lives (there are only two pictures, but there are many women, and many stories), I stand amazed at who they were and what they did.
(Both women are my great grandma's.)
The voice of the people now may place value on the ashes of the world (merchandise and material objects, that will fade with time) but what about God, our Creator? Does He value His children according to their hair dye, shoes, bangles, and sparkles?? Absolutely not.
He sent His son to earth, Jesus, our Savior. He was adorned not with a kingly crown of gold, but of thorns. He was not known for His wealth or social status -- but for his humility and service. He came to show us the way to eternal life. The way to be truly beautiful people.
He taught us how to LOVE.
I believe . . . when we can come to love others and fill our hearts with charity, the pure love of Christ, then we will know (then I will know) what it feels like to be truly beautiful. And that love -- that beauty from within -- will cause a glow that can never be accomplished through the use of hair dyes or sparkly diamonds.
My imperfections which plague me, can be blanketed by the love of God -- if I will allow it to fill my heart. I CAN be free from my self-inflicted chains. Free to be the beautiful me that I REALLY want to be!
God will judge me, not by my outer shell, or mortal husk -- but He will look into my heart to determine my beauty and worth . . . shall we not all do the same for each other? Dig a little deeper, look a little harder -- there is beauty inside us all!
Beauty IS as Beauty does!
(I better get doing some beauty!) ;-)
"Forget yourself and get to work!"
-Gordon B. Hinckley's father
