beauty

Imperfection.

If we were completely honest,
Imperfection defines us all.

Yet imperfection is something that we are uncomfortable with.
Uneasy…
We want to correct,

Especially when it comes to beauty.

Photoshop
Filters
Makeup

This infuriates me!

It really does.

Who has the right to define beauty?
To decide
What shade of skin
What size body
What color hair
Represents it best.

I have a 13 year old daughter.
She is absolutely beautiful!
Yet imperfect
Like everyone else.

The last thing I want is for her to look in the mirror and let society decide what is beautiful about her.
And worse yet, for society to tell her what is not beautiful about her.

And we have decided the best way to speak to our girls is to say things like
“You are beautiful on the inside.”
“Don’t focus on the outer beauty.”
“Your character traits make you beautiful.”

And while I totally understand this sentiment
I really do.
I agree that beauty is far beyond a physical definition.
It is more than that.
So much more than that.

I agree we need to be teaching our children the power of positive character over physical beauty.

You can show me the most beautiful person on the planet
And if that person is an absolute jerk,
I will be repulsed.
I will not want anything to do with that person.

Beauty is so much broader than physical beauty.
The inside of us will shine far brighter than the outside.
The inside of us will define us as a person.

But honesty time…

Who in their right mind wants to be told
“You’ve got such a great personality!”
Over
“You are beautiful.”

I think the real problem is the way we define beauty

The way we as a society have decided what is beautiful and what is not.

Who decided freckles needed to be photo-shopped?
That tall people should be the models?
That aging is something that needs to be stopped or at least slowed?

I mean, really?

Who did?

And why?

And here we are, slaves to the notion that one ‘ideal’ beauty is to be sought after.
It is evident in the rows upon rows of
Hair dyes
Beauty products
Makeup
Hair removal products
Anti-aging lotions

Go on a diet.
Get the right haircut for your face shape.
Learn how to contour.
Keep up with your eyebrows.
Get a tan.
Erase stretch marks.

Ugh!

I think it is far beyond making the decision to not emphasize outer beauty.
Or promoting positive character instead of beauty.

I think it is a matter that we have tried to put parameters on and tried to specify what beauty is as a whole.

And what it is not.

Tried to define it.

When maybe we shouldn’t have.