Beauty for many people is about what looks good when you face the mirror. You can put on anything from an outfit to an evening gown or tuxedo and look splendid. However| that is not where beauty lies.
Sayings such as "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is much closer to what beauty is. Being true to who you are is beauty. Offering assistance to a stranger| helping an ill neighbour| being a shoulder to cry on| these things make us beautiful.
I find too that people are under the impression that women are beautiful. So are men. They really get overlooked when talking about beauty. And why? Because we hear the word beauty and suddenly visions of models| dresses| cosmetics| actreses| etc. enter our minds. Boy... if only we could change that!
When men put their families first| they are being beautiful. When men see that being a Mom is a 24/7 lifetime choice full of devotion and love| they are being beautiful. To me| being beautiful is about your soul. Anyone who puts their time and energy into bettering the world around them is beautiful. There are no lines then. No place to stop where beauty lies. You can be any age| gender| nationality| and so on.
How many times can you count where a child has been beautiful? They get overlooked too. Have you ever seen two siblings help each other? That's beautiful. Have you ever seen an older child read to a small child? That's beautiful. What about watching a small child give their teacher a drawing they did to say thank you. That's beautiful too.
I say it's high time we stop relying on the media to tell us what beauty is. Keep an eye on the things that go on around you to show you what beauty is: A convienience store clerk giving a child a sucker for free. A TTC operator allowing an elderly passenger to ride free because their home is just a few stops away. Overhearing two friends talking: "Thank you so much for being there for me. I really needed that." And the other saying| "Anytime you need me| I'm here."
Absorb the good things that happen around you. Let those things define beauty. In the end| you'll be much happier and much better off.
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