beauty.

what is beauty? to me, beauty is the sound of my niece and nephew giggling while playing with their aunties, it is the way the colors blend together in the sky as the sun sets on another day. beauty is when a stranger helps an elderly person out to their car on a wintry day, and it is the smile on a loved one's face. beauty is the sunlight coming in through an open window, the scent of lilac bushes, laughing until your stomach hurts, and a hug from a long lost and now found friend. beauty is found everywhere, yet sometimes we look only to the imperfections and forget to see life, those around us, and even ourselves for our true beauty.

we live in a society where the rich and famous are considered beautiful. only the most expensive clothing and possessions are admired or sought after. yet right in front of us are the majestic, snow covered mountains and a friendly smile from someone you know and care about. we think that beauty is something that is and will be the same forever, never changing. yet, something can only be beautiful if you choose to see it that way. like they say, 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.' like happiness, beauty can only be achieved by seeing ourselves as such, always striving to be the best we can be. not just physically, but in every aspect of our being. i believe that beauty is more than the wave of your curls or the size of your jeans, but in the relationships you create, the lives you touch, and the confidence that allows you to shine and bring joy to your life and all others around you. sam levenson said it best when he said,

"for attractive lips, speak words of kindness. for lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. for a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. for beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. for poise, walk with knowledge you'll never walk alone. people, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. never throw out anybody. remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. as you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. the beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. the beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. it is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!"

when you know who you are and believe in your own infinite worth, your beauty shows -from the inside out. you don't need to fit the prototype that the world has created. choose to be happy and your beauty will shine.

"'deep beauty'-the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out. it is the kind of beauty that cannot be painted on, surgically created, or purchased. it is the kind of beauty that doesn't wash off. it is spiritual attractiveness. deep beauty springs from virtue...the world places so much emphasis on physical attractiveness and would have you believe that you are to look like the elusive model on the cover of a magazine. the lord would tell you that you are each uniquely beautiful...if you live close to god and his infinite grace-you won't have to tell, it will show in your face." --elaine s. dalton

via

via

via

via

beauty cannot be defined, at least not the way the world would have us believe. so, what is beauty to you?