Beauty Is What We Make It
Beauty. The old idiom by Margaret Wolfe Hungerford that says, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is one of the few quotes I’ve heard that I find to be completely true. Why? Well, if you had to wake up beside me every morning and see the hideous creature eight hours of sleep turns me into, you might wonder how it is my husband doesn’t run away screaming. I look a little bit like a mental patient that’s been subjected to electro-shock one to many times. But, I was lucky enough to marry someone who can see through the morning hair and swollen face and love me enough to wake up and look at it again, and again and…again.
Women go through the gauntlet getting ready to be seen in public. There’s fluffing, foo-fooing, makeuping, poofing, spraying, curling and posing. And for those more dedicated there’s the confidential trip to the plastic surgeon for a little nipping, snipping, tucking and a nice lift in those hard to reach places. Personally? I wouldn’t be opposed to a nice tuck here and there. Unfortunately, I’m not ready to take out a loan to make my behind look ten years younger or to buy myself a new face.
With summer coming upon us quick and in a hurry we’re now faced with the daunting task of looking our best in bathing suits and shorts. The rice cake and mineral water industries are making a killing and we’re running around nine kinds of grouchy because we’re starving. Unfortunately, the last diet I tried was the one where you can’t eat carbs. I made it about six hours and went out and bought myself a gigantic fudge cake and an ice cold Pepsi. I’m pretty sure my discipline needs a little fine tuning but I’ll worry about that when I finish the pizza I plan on ordering for dinner this evening.
As women, we’re driven to look our best. It’s within our very nature to go through the pain to go to the party. But, is it really worth it? I think maybe there are two sides to the sword on this one. Looking nice on the outside makes us feel better on the inside. A little vanity can go a long way in regards to your attitude. But, being obsessed with that outward lovely can also make you a bit shallow. Like everything else, it’s about balancing the outside with the inside.
Like my husband, people who really love and care for you are going to do so regardless of what you look like. Just as my husband has to look at the scary morning version of me, I also have to look at him when he’s not looking his best. Still, I think he’s fabulous even when he comes home from a day on the railroad looking like he’s not done anything but roll around in the dirt and spent eight hours in a wind tunnel. He’s my yucky ol’ husband and I love him anyways.
The quest for beauty is universal. Everybody wants it. Since my dad has been diagnosed with Alzhiemer’s I’ve learned to look at things a little differently. He looks completely healthy and like the dad I knew growing up. But, all it takes is one look into those eyes and you can tell that he’s just not there anymore.
It’s the same with my mom. I spent more time as a teenager, blaming her for things, then I did on breathing. I was convinced she was out to ruin my life. But, if I’d been able to see forward in time I can promise you it would have been different. I was so worried about me, I neglected to realize what a lovely woman she actually is. It’s truly an amazing person who will put more time toward someone else then they do themselves. This is what she, and the families of sick loved ones around the world, deal with on a daily basis. If that isn’t what I’m talking about here, I don’t know what is?
You learn quickly how important it is to hold on to who the person really is rather then what the person looks like. So, I charge you all to look at the people you love and see what they have within. Appreciate the things that they bring into your life. If your husband looks like a wooly mammoth or your wife has lipstick on her teeth, don’t worry about it. Remember, beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder
Remember: Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
