I love Dove’s campaign! I love what it teaches young girls and grown women. I am disturbed at what our culture teaches us about beauty. It is an epidemic that leaves everyone feeling worthless. We are each so unique, but when one thing is defined as beautiful we all become the same and invisible. I was thinking about this recently in regards to purchasing beauty. So ever since the new fake eyelash trend started, people keep asking me where I get my eyelashes done. This always makes me laugh because I have never had mine "done". I was thinking about how when something can be purchased, it loses its value. I started to wonder if natural blondes felt about their hair the way I do about my eyelashes. If we all be ourselves, then we are all a hot commodity. There are as many ways to be beautiful as there are women and men.
As I have been doing the 10 day body image challenge I have been thinking a lot about what beautiful is. I know what our culture defines as beautiful. I know what things people look at on me that they think is beautiful or not. My beauty is something else. My beauty is something that will stand the test of time. My body is a capsule for what is beautiful about me. My body is for me to enjoy, not you. My body was made to help me get around, to grow babies, to touch and love others, to smile, to taste, to see, to feel and to laugh. People who love my body will fall out of love quickly. My body will change, weaken, hang, stretch, and die. People who love what is in my body can love me forever. What is in my body will blossom, strengthen, grow, brighten, and live on.
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”
― Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
Things that are beautiful about me:
- I have a huge heart
- I am forgiving
- I notice when others are hurting and I try to make it better
- I am silly
- I am generous, if you need something I will give it to you
- I have unwavering faith, I’m a believer
- I know how to connect to others
- I love well
Take a minute and comment. I would love to know what is beautiful about all of you!
Prompt: What is beautiful about you that has nothing to do with your body?