Saturday, June 21, 2008

Beautiful

beau ti ful:
–adjective
1.having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind: a beautiful dress; a beautiful speech.
2.excellent of its kind: a beautiful putt on the seventh hole; The chef served us a beautiful roast of beef.
3.wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying.
–noun
4.(used with a plural verbbeautiful things or people collectively (usually prec. bythe): the good and the beautiful.
5.  the ideal of beauty (usually
prec. by the): to strive to attain the beautiful.


Even if you have seen this, it is worth watching again...


Why? Why is this the standard by which women must live? Why is it ok to sell a lie to us and to everyone, for that matter? It is a lie. Nothing is true about the billboard they end up with at the end of that video. It makes me exhausted just thinking about the long, harrowing journey I have ahead of me raising two girls. I feel like one of the most important things my girls must have growing up is a healthy self image. They must feel loved and beautiful but they must also know beauty is not only about how they appear on the outside. How in the world am I going to explain that to them where they will get it!? How am I going to explain to them that how our world thinks of beauty is skewed and twisted? So twisted that it has become completely artificial. Not only is our world worshiping outward beauty in a disgusting and perverted way, but it is worshiping a beauty that doesn't even exist. IT IS NOT REAL! I want to scream it at the top of my lungs. My girls will be like the two girls at the end of that video someday...casually walking by a billboard like that and wondering why they don't measure up. Wondering why God didn't make them as beautiful as the girl on that giant sign. And it saddens me. It makes me frustrated and angry that they may doubt God and they may feel inadequate because they don't look like something that is simply unattainable. My prayer is that I can somehow make them understand that they are beyond beautiful. That they are God's creation and made in His image. I pray that they will "get it." I pray that they will feel beautiful and unique and loved no matter what. And I will show them this video...many times as they grow up. Me and my girls...going through this journey together. It will be good for me to watch it regularly too. At least I can relate, since I am a woman and know what it's like. Maybe that will give me an edge in getting the point across to them. Maybe it's not about telling them, but about living it. Maybe it's about feeling great about myself and about the way I look, not because I am perfect (perfect doesn't exist by the way) but because I am God's beautiful creature. Maybe I shouldn't spend so much time in the mirror in the mornings while my girls watch me intently. I don't know. What I do know is this video has affected me. I first saw it a long time ago and it has stayed with me. So thank you to Dove for making this film and for putting it out there and for showing me and my girls. It sure makes me want to go out and buy Dove products! Hopefully I can live my life in a way that tells my girls what I want them to know. They are BEAUTIFUL!

3 comments:

Tim said...

And beautiful they are. All you need to do to see their true beauty is to look into their eyes. To me a persons eyes are the peep hole into their soul. You can see everything they are and some of what they are to become. You can see what to expect, and what is suspect.

When I look into Mackenzie and Reagan's eyes I have never seen anything but true love. Love of themselves, and love for the world. All these things are verified in the things they do and how loving they truly are.

You should be very proud of who they have become, and who they will continue to be.

I have for sure missed Mackenzie this sports season. I always looked forward to seeing her smiling face, and feeling the warmth that she brings to whoever she is around.

Their name should be at the top of your post under the definition of Beautiful.

They are who they are because of great parents like you and Marty.

Congrats!

Hope to see you soon. Lord willing.

Lacey said...

I know, isn't it so disheartening?? It kills me every time I see that video. Our world today is becoming very corrupt. Your girls are beautiful on the inside and out and you are a great Momma. I am sure they will always know how special and beautiful they are.

Anonymous said...

oh wow! I could NOT agree with you more! It is a VERY scary world we live in right now and so hard to teach the important virtues when you are bombarded with "beauty" images. I think you are an awesome mom and your girls are beautiful inside and out! I pray all these same things for my daughters and just pray that above all they love the Lord and know they were created perfect in His image!