On Seeing the Beauty

Drew Barrymore photographed by Annie Leibovitz from the web site Maria’s photo:  http://www.mariasphoto.com/2008/02/25/drew-barrymore-in-beauty-and-the-beast/

Seeing the Beauty.  Like everything, it’s a choice.  We can be sucked into what the world has decided is “perfection.”  Or we can rebel.   Rebel by rejecting the incessant labels society thrusts upon us:  “Young, ” “Old,” “Average,” “Above Average,” “Rich,” “Poor,” “Nice,” “Mean.”  I could go on forever!  Or we could make it a habit to see the beauty in the not so “perfect” beast.  Perfect is boring!  Trust me, if you were given the “perfect” guy you would get bored.  You would never fight.  Fighting is passion.  Can you imagine life without make-up sex?  LOL.  If you were given the “perfect” body you would still see something you don’t like.  How many of us look back on our early twenties and think:  Wow!  I was hot!  We didn’t think it back then because we didn’t appreciate the wrinkle free skin.  We couldn’t relate because we’d never had wrinkles.

I was inspired by Ashley Judd putting the media in her place when they called her “puffy.”  http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/09/ashley-judd-slaps-media-in-the-face-for-speculation-over-her-puffy-appearance.html When some in the media don’t see perfection, they question, examine, judge.  They’d noticed Ms. Judd had been looking “puffy” lately and decided to analyze why.  Without asking her.   Isn’t there something else you would rather do than obsess over perfection, media?

Think of the people you are attracted to.  I guarantee the ones you’re closest to have something that pulled you in.  Is it how they’re always there for you?  That’s beauty.  It it their passionate curiosity?  Is it their loving spirit that’s reflected through soulful eyes?  I’ve always been attracted to people who make me smile and laugh.  They could be purple with little tiny spikes all over their faces and I would still love them.  We would just have to work something out when we hug.  🙂

Then there are people who are not so beautiful.  Maybe physically they are when you first meet them, but through their actions you become disenchanted.  Suddenly little imperfections pop up that you never saw before.  They are there now because you’ve seen some of the things they do that turn you off.  Like maybe they lied to you.  Maybe they dump you when they get a new boyfriend.  Maybe they start to revel in their happiness around you in a catty way.   You start seeing someone for who they truly are.  No amount of hairspray, lipstick or flexing of a perfectly toned peck will stir you.

They’ve broken your trust.  They’ve lost your respect.  They’ve lost their beauty.  On their own.

The people who make you smile fuel your beauty.  The man you meet for a fleeting moment who opens a door for you.  The children playing and sharing their laughter and fun with you.  The little old lady all dressed up in her best as you pass by her in a restaurant.  You look at her, she looks at you and you admire how the blue of her suit plays up her skin.  You tell her the color looks beautiful on her.   She smiles back and says “thank you.”  The blue makes her feel beautiful.  It radiates from her soul.  That radiant beauty drew you to her.

The beauty of sound.  How you absolutely love something in nature.  The trickle of water from a nearby stream, the whish of the ocean waves.  Even the noise of an airplane that breaks your concentration overhead.  It is beautiful that we have something called airplanes that can whisk us off and we can be anywhere in the world.  In a matter of hours!  The beauty of touch.  Enjoying how soft your lovers skin is, or how his arms make you feel warm and protected.  How a kittens’ fur can tickle your nose and smell so good.  How soft and shiny your hair looks and feels after brushing it before you go to bed.

The beauty of sight.  Like the lady in blue from above or how pictures of food and fashion can make us literally swoon with the thought of eating or wearing it!  The sunset-how each one is unique with its colors and cloud swirls.  How one painting makes you stop.  And all the other paintings fall away.  Or when, on your daily walk, you walk by a certain house.  It’s a pleasure to admire the house because the owners put so much care in the landscaping and upkeep.  Then one day on your walk, the lady who lives there is working on her landscaping.  As you walk by you say “Your house is beautiful.  You do such an amazing job with it!”  She looks up, beaming with pride and says “Thank you!”  It feels so good.  The beauty of her creation affects you every time you walk by.  It makes you feel good to thank her and makes you feel amazing when she is so happy that you noticed!  Because you just made her feel beautiful.

Seeing the beauty in everything is more fun than what society is trying to pull us into doing:  obsess with perfection.  Sitting around and discussing what may or may not be wrong with the target (ie Ashley Judd).  Turn them off and rebel.  When they try to show you something ugly or try to criticize – look for the beauty.  Maybe our “Perfection Rebellion” –  will spread and we can tame a few “judgemental” beasts out there.  And bring them over to our side.  Love, Goddess

Related Reading:

1. Like Curves?  Sofia Vergara  http://bitchlifestyle.com/2012/03/sofia-vergara/
2. We Are Perfect:  http://bitchlifestyle.com/2009/06/we-are-perfect/
3. Beauty Rituals Empower You:  http://bitchlifestyle.com/2009/06/beauty-rituals-empower-you/

© S Stevens Life Strategies