That one pin, that one opinion, was devastating. I am going to be very honest, and I am not fishing for compliments. I have struggled with self-worth for as long as I can remember. There are so many times that I do not feel that I am pretty or beautiful. I do not feel that I am the kind of attractive that I am told I should be. There are many days where I avoid the mirror, unless it is a complete necessity. There are many days that I cannot look people in the eye, because I am afraid that I will see my horrible self image reflected in their eyes, and that they will believe it, like I believe it.
Beauty is preached through every media outlet. It focuses on appearance. We must be a certain size, a certain height. Our skin must always be flawless. We should not have freckles. We cannot have pimples. Tans are in. Porcelain skin is the standard. Don't even think about having a red splotch or any discoloration! Our noses must be cute and small. Wrinkles are unattractive. Laugh lines are frowned upon. Aging is unacceptable. We cannot have curves. We must have curves. Our teeth should be perfectly straight. Our hair should never be frizzy, or have fly-aways, or be even a bit out of place. Our clothes must be impeccable, and of course they should fit us as they do the stick figure mannequin. Our bodies must be perfectly toned and sculpted. The list goes on and on. Full of contradictions, and unattainable standards. The word tells us that to be beautiful, we all have to fit that mold. The mold that you can see in magazines and all over television. That mold is the beauty standard. That mold is a lie.
From the time we can start comprehending beauty, we are told that we are ugly. We are told that unless we conform, we are unworthy. We are told that beauty equals physical appearance. Beauty is so much different than that. I have been blessed to have wonderful people in my life to teach me the truth about beauty. Beauty is about who you are, not what you are. It comes from within. It manifests in the way you live your life, how you treat others, your actions, and your words. The most attractive things in the world are the ones that are so often over looked. Honesty, integrity, hard work, sacrificing our own energy to bring happiness to someone else. Beauty is found in the person who has no energy or joy to spare, but smiles and gives their last to someone else. Beauty is reaching out to someone, when you feel you have nothing left to give. Beauty is sharing all the love God has bestowed on your life, with someone who may not feel loved otherwise.
There is a saying that we are told at church camp, and growing up in youth groups, "God created you, and God does not create ugly!" Yes, its cliche and overused, but its true. God created every part of you, without a mold. He designed you from head to toe, but more importantly, He created your insides. He loves you and does not for a second consider anyone of us to be ugly. I have a tattoo on my wrist that I look at all the time. It says "love." It is simple, but it is a reminder of God's love for me. God's love for us is unfathomable. He sees in us incredible beauty, He created us to live beautiful lives. I desire to live a beautiful life; a life that uplifts others, and makes them feel beautiful from the inside.
