Hello Beautiful!
I. Am so. EXCITED to be able to share my thoughts with you over the next 4 months! I thought about getting this blog internship all last semester and am chock full of things to talk with you about. My name is Grace and I'm in my second semester here at BYU. I graduated from high school this spring.
I may be young, but through many perplexing experiences surrounding physical beauty, I have finally found a way of thinking about beauty that empowers not only me but those around me. I hope you'll share your thoughts with me too; I'd love to read your comments and ideas!
I’ve often heard of "redefining beauty," and it confuses me. Redefining beauty into what? There is, without question, a mass-media push away from the stereotypical definition of beauty as 36-24-36 measurements, but the push often seems simply away from that and not towards any other clear, well-rounded definition. ;)
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| Look familiar? Anyone? |
The concept of “Recapturing Beauty” caught my attention. "Recapturing beauty" suggests that beauty is not something I can define, but offers instead that beauty is, eternally, something in and of itself, that it has its own definition not subject to media campaigns.
What then IS beauty? A year and a half ago I had some experiences that got me thinking about what “beauty” meant and what its qualifications and effects are. (I'll let you in on some of those soon!) I have become a student of beauty--of how “inner” beauty is spoken of in church or scriptures; of how societies define, create, and treat “outer” beauty; of how beauty is expressed in the natural world. I have seen how things deemed beautiful are celebrated or torn down. I take notice of ways people use the word “beauty” or "beautiful.”
I have concluded this--
Beauty is truth. Beauty is potential. Beauty is our spirits and bodies striving to compliment and strengthen one another. Beauty is anything reminiscent of the eternal perfection our spirits lived in for eons of time before coming to this earth. Since you and I have bodies now, finding a consistent way to apply beauty to our physical state is tricky.
Because our bodies are created by God they are beautiful. However, I feel that beauty most when my body is a healthy partner, not a dictator, for my spirit. When my body is tired, stressed, or (ah-hem) PMS-style craving sugar, my spirit has a far more difficult time “giving thanks in all things” or “being in the service of my fellow men.” The more I am well rested, eat a balanced diet, and exercise, the more my body is a partner to my spirit in rejoicing and serving. Also, because we interact so much with others (and are generally happier when we do so), it’s helpful to present our bodies in ways that aren't distracting or inappropriate for the situation.
God has designed our bodies and spirits to enrich each other, and I deeply believe that strengthening this partnership is how to recapture beauty. Am I an expert at it? No. . . .not yet. But I hope you'll join me the next few months as I explore and learn new things!
What part of your beauty will YOU recapture this week? I'd love to hear in the comments below!
Grace
What part of your beauty will YOU recapture this week? I'd love to hear in the comments below!
Grace