Being beautiful is a phenomenal journey that is only embarked upon by those who are wise enough to know how intricate and expansive the process is. I see young women and seasoned women, alike, attempting to buy beauty at a MAC counter or in BeBe. And I laugh to myself because I feel like angels shared a special secret with me at such a vital point in my life.
This beauty that we seek in malls, the gorgeous bodies we starve ourselves to attain...is all pursued in the most blind vanity. There is such a sad undertone to it all. Though it is 2010 and we are all so "aware" of ourselves, I realize that commercials are still geared toward the 3% of women in this country who have size 2 waists. And its unfortunate because being booty-licious with a tiny waist won't help keep a family together. Being America's Next Top Video Vixen won't help young women around the country increase self-esteem.
Even young men obsess over abs and biceps, but don't understand simple concepts like: chilvary, kindness, and respect. Yet, we're all so damn beautiful. I'm convinced that no one even knows what beauty really is anymore. There's some ridiculous misconception that it is reflected in a mirror or defined by the waist-to-hip-to-chest ratio. But the truth is...beauty is in an embrace. When a person is able to sincerely hold you at the weakest moment you've ever faced and when his/her touch makes you more aware of yourself than you've ever been...beauty is present. When someone kisses you and your pain melts like ice cubes in Savannah heat...beauty is legible and interpreted like the clearest font. Beauty is an action. It is the momentum that's necessary in order for one person to (not only attract) but magnetically draw another. People don't stay together anymore because no one has any idea what the hell "being beautiful" is all about.
In order to be beautiful, a person must live from the depths of the soul. There should be a radiance present whenever the room is filled with such rare, clean beauty. There must be a powerful empathy within and a concern for the well-fare of others. The willingness to forgive makes us beautiful. The desire to love after redundant heartbreak makes us beautiful. Bright-ass lip gloss and skinny jeans does not.
Taking care of your appearance is vital. True beauty can be stifled and ignored if the exterior of your temple is abandoned. People can't see the sunlight through dirty windows so I suggest that your image be fabulous...but what's truly important, is your soul.
Perhaps, if you knew how beautiful you were...beyond the blond highlights and that big ghetto-booty...you'd be able to hold on to love for longer than a week and a half. Maybe if you realized that love isn't about finding someone who has 4 Escalades and an urban apartment, you'd have a life partner by now. Maybe if someone told you that Drake is never going to marry you, you'd stop trying to look like the hoes in his videos and you'd accept the fact that you're gorgeous already...stretchmarks and all. (Yeah I said it).
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...so if you'd measure your own beauty with your own eyes...you'd be a lot more particular about you let be(with and)hold you.
And that's real.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Tomorrow can take care of itself...
It’s terrifying to think about what I really want. There are so many potential pursuits…so many opportunities that seem appealing. And it’s not that I’m scared of what the future holds. It’s just that failure is such a terrifying, illumination above all that I do. I’ve waited a lifetime for most of what I have now, and though I’m grateful, I’m also wondering…what next? What will this life show me and teach me? Who will be by my side during the entire journey? With the state of our nation being so flimsy and unpredictable, making decisions is a lot more difficult than ever before. I feel like every wrong turn might never deliver me to that gorgeous door for “second chances”. Second chances almost don’t exist anymore. Everything scars forever…credit delinquencies, bad break-ups, tasteless FB pictures…
People don’t forgive and forget anymore. And what’s worse, we are forgetting how to forgive ourselves. Already at twenty-four, there is so much that I would’ve done differently if I had known years ago what I know now. There is love that I regret losing, love that I regret giving…and opportunities that I regret missing. And although I am well aware that I am right where I am supposed to be, I can’t help but think that I’ve made the journey a little more difficult than it needed to be.
In my lowly opinion, this life should be lived passionately and courageously. We should be challenged every day by the work we do and the service we provide in our communities. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not signing up to be the next Mother Teresa…
I just think that we spend a little too much time consumed by nonsense that will be irrelevant next year instead of making contributions that may change history.
For example, I’ve spent the last 10 days pouting about turning twenty-four. I’ve been focusing on everything that I don’t have and all that I haven’t accomplished (that I feel like I should’ve accomplished long ago). I failed to appreciate the fact that for 7 days, I was pampered by family and friends who have their own lives and schedules but they chose to spend some quality time helping me celebrate life.
And for the most part, I was a brat the entire week!
I just want to place a little more emphasis on what matters. I’d rather focus on the growing portion of the phrase “growing older” than zeroing in on the age factor. I’d rather enjoy the people who love me while they are near, than pout and sour when they have to say “farewell”.
Today, I’m implementing some new policies in my life. I refuse to obsess over what I am not and what I have not…when there is so much to be thankful for. I want to be ridiculously wealthy one day, but for now…I’m just glad that I have a great relationship with the cable lady because I get my premium service for free. I want to have a mansion in the mountains eventually, but right now…I’m grateful to have 1000 sq. foot bachelorette pad in one of North Carolina’s most prestigious cities. I also want to squeeze all this voluptuous-ness in tiny jeans by December...but, this month, I’m going to just enjoy this body because God designed it and it’s beautiful. And I really, really want a love that is healthy and amazing…but until I’m ready for matrimony I’ll find that love in the form of life-long friendships.
I don’t have it all figured out…not at all. I just know that being obsessed with what isn’t…is just a really foolish way to miss out on all that is. I want to embrace today…tomorrow is perfectly capable of taking care of itself.
People don’t forgive and forget anymore. And what’s worse, we are forgetting how to forgive ourselves. Already at twenty-four, there is so much that I would’ve done differently if I had known years ago what I know now. There is love that I regret losing, love that I regret giving…and opportunities that I regret missing. And although I am well aware that I am right where I am supposed to be, I can’t help but think that I’ve made the journey a little more difficult than it needed to be.
In my lowly opinion, this life should be lived passionately and courageously. We should be challenged every day by the work we do and the service we provide in our communities. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not signing up to be the next Mother Teresa…
I just think that we spend a little too much time consumed by nonsense that will be irrelevant next year instead of making contributions that may change history.
For example, I’ve spent the last 10 days pouting about turning twenty-four. I’ve been focusing on everything that I don’t have and all that I haven’t accomplished (that I feel like I should’ve accomplished long ago). I failed to appreciate the fact that for 7 days, I was pampered by family and friends who have their own lives and schedules but they chose to spend some quality time helping me celebrate life.
And for the most part, I was a brat the entire week!
I just want to place a little more emphasis on what matters. I’d rather focus on the growing portion of the phrase “growing older” than zeroing in on the age factor. I’d rather enjoy the people who love me while they are near, than pout and sour when they have to say “farewell”.
Today, I’m implementing some new policies in my life. I refuse to obsess over what I am not and what I have not…when there is so much to be thankful for. I want to be ridiculously wealthy one day, but for now…I’m just glad that I have a great relationship with the cable lady because I get my premium service for free. I want to have a mansion in the mountains eventually, but right now…I’m grateful to have 1000 sq. foot bachelorette pad in one of North Carolina’s most prestigious cities. I also want to squeeze all this voluptuous-ness in tiny jeans by December...but, this month, I’m going to just enjoy this body because God designed it and it’s beautiful. And I really, really want a love that is healthy and amazing…but until I’m ready for matrimony I’ll find that love in the form of life-long friendships.
I don’t have it all figured out…not at all. I just know that being obsessed with what isn’t…is just a really foolish way to miss out on all that is. I want to embrace today…tomorrow is perfectly capable of taking care of itself.
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