5th of March 2023
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Dear Reader,
I want to share this article from my 2018 archives.
Let me start this by telling you a story. Someone told me once that I am not beautiful. “Do you really think you’re beautiful?” he puts it that way. I know that person is joking, for he withdraws what he said. But there is always truth behind every joke. Of course, I don’t think I am. I never did. I asked lots of people what beauty was for them after that. But just as love, beauty is such a complex word that if it points to a particular person, it is subjective. I smiled and pretended I was okay because what will I respond? It’s a totally awkward moment if I will defend myself, so just let it go. I smiled because I thought I knew what beauty meant (at least for that time).
Is it the presence of flawless skin? Is it the eyebrow on fleek or long lashes? Or how about red lips and rosy cheeks? Maybe you can conclude that beauty is all about having white skin, a well-shaped nose, straight, shiny hair, and the curvy body shape you add. What about those people who haven’t given those physical qualities? So if you stereotype beauty as flawless, how about those with scars? If you say, a beautiful girl’s epitome looks like Liza Soberano, how about those who do not look like her? If a person is dark or has a “not so perfect” nose, do you call him less of a beauty? But oh, those are wonderful qualities and all. But please let me tell you there is more to those.
Beauty is such a profound word that is only grafted from a branch if you incline it to the outward attributes of a person. Beauty, I mean genuine beauty, is more than skin deep. It is actually something SO deep within the soul. Because beauty is engraved in people who have precious souls of compassion.
Beauty is helping someone in need or giving a hand to a stranger who needs help. Beauty is loving unlovable people. A beautiful person speaks with gentleness in her tone to avoid conflict. A beautiful girl sees beauty and significance in almost all of the insignificant things in the world. Those who aren’t shy to respect their elders and those who have joy in their hearts despite of the storm they are in, I think that’s beautiful.
And girls, don’t base your beauty on the compliments of men. Because it’ll never be enough. Your beauty doesn’t define by how many say you’re beautiful or how many say you aren’t. Beauty is laughter. Beauty is kindness, it is kindness.
Beauty radiates when you have peace SO real in your soul. Beauty is not hunting for a boy’s heart but letting them pursue yours. Beauty is having a gentle way of talking with other people. Beauty understands even the most difficult people or circumstances that go against your way. Beauty is patiently waiting for something you know it’ll come in the fullness of HIS time and for HIS glory.
And lastly, as far as I know, being beautiful starts when you decide to believe all that GOD has said you are. I love that GOD doesn’t look at someone’s physical appearance because He DIRECTLY looks at someone’s HEART.
….”but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in GOD’s sight is very precious.
1 PETER 3:4 (ESV)
And can I ask a question? Where will you base your confidence in being beautiful? Is it on people who can only introspect shallow definitions of the word, or on the GOD Who owns the whole world (and even your soul) and is the real Judge? I guess the answers are classified.
But oh, lastly, I know this letter is quite so long, that person I was talking about from the beginning of this letter actually (maybe) noticed my audacity in the words he gave. So just before I could give my feedback to him, he said,
“You are not beautiful Bids, because you are more than that”. With a sigh of relief along with a smile, he ended.
Hmmmm. How beautiful is that?
I hope you’ll find someone who looks beyond you from now on. The one who will genuinely understands that beauty is a whole lot of a mirage, being formed fragment by fragment until you can see the entire view and realizes that BEAUTIFUL by physical judgment is an understatement, for just like love, it defies all reasons.
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I love that old words from the archives still speaks to us so loudly even now. There you go. That is it.
Just to clarify, it is totally okay if you dress up and do make yourself look beautiful, because I am doing that too. I totally love doing light make-up with my lashes and brows. I apply sunblock and concealer and clean my nails too! I also dress up even inside the house, because it makes me totally feel good, and if it does makes me feel good, I usually have a productive day. It is just that, may it totally not be the reason that we will conceal what is supposed to be the most essential thing in our lives…it is the beauty within.
So go and apply both of these aspects and I am sure the people around us shall find it a beauty and of course, at the same time pleasing to the eyes of the LORD.
Have an early goodnight.
Grace be upon you.
Sincerely,
Kryz.