Beauty is a package.
It’s the way you look + the way you feel + the way you treat others + the way you treat yourself.
Before we go any further, let’s just get this out in the open – a few women are born with stunning physical beauty. We know it, we see it, and we live with it every day.
The true number is probably smaller than we think, because many of the beautiful women we see in magazines, television shows and movies are created by those media. Without their makeup artists, stylists, and professional photographers, they look surprisingly like average women. Nevertheless, some women are blessed with great physical beauty.
The fact is, though, that great physical beauty alone doesn’t take a woman where most of us want to go. It doesn’t ensure her a happy marriage or joyous family life or meaningful ministry or fulfilling career. It can open the door to those things, but it can’t take her very far beyond the doorway.
The other components of beauty – they way a woman feels (her physical and emotional health), the way she treats others and the way she treats herself – hold the keys to a life filled with joy and purpose. And, as a bonus, it turns out that other people find those things to be very attractive.
So let’s focus on the entire “package.” Let’s identify the strengths of our physical beauty and play them up, and acknowledge the weaknesses and play them down.
Then let’s spend most of our time and energy focusing on the rest of our beauty – by taking care of our health and managing our lives in a way that maintains our sanity. By going out of our way to treat others the way we want to be treated. And by treating ourselves the same way – gently, kindly and with respect.
And then, by our words and attitudes and actions, let’s teach our daughters, nieces, granddaughters, and all of the girls and young women we know the real meaning of beauty.
Photo credit – © windu – Fotolia
Bonny says
Some of my friends grow more and more lovely as I get to know them better. That’s because their hearts shine through. Beauty is an inner content spirit knowing our identity in Christ. My mom used to say, beauty is only skin deep and beauty is as beauty does. This is a wonderful post, Gaye!
GC says
Thank you, Bonny. Yes, the things your mother used to say sound old fashioned these days, but they are still completely true!
Gaye
Crystal From Tidbits of Experience says
A person’s outside beauty fades with time. A person’s inner beauty will outshine any outside appearance. If a person’s character is ugly then they become completely angry. (Sorry couldn’t resist throwing out the old wise tales that use to be told to me growing up.)
Totally enjoy this post! Thanks for your sharing your wisdom.
GC says
Thanks so much, Crystal.
Gaye
jugglingrealfoodandreallife says
Well said Gaye! I have a friend who is absolutely stunning. She participates in marathons and triathalons and looks like a super model the whole time. I often tease her if she were not my friend, I would hate her because she is so beautiful. It seems like her hair is always blowing perfectly in the breeze and mine looks like I just walked in from a tornado. Unfortunately, she lost her special 8 year old son last week. It really has got me thinking about a lot of things. I know she would trade her beauty in an instant to have her son back. What does outward beauty really matter? It doesn’t make you happy all on its own. You still have to create a beautiful life and that is not dependent on outward beauty. I’ve come to realize that I always put myself down in front of my daughter. This is the same daughter that everyone says looks just like me. What must I have been doing to her by putting myself down? I now tell her all of the time how beautiful we both are. I know this to be true in the eyes of our Heavenly Father and that’s the opinion that matters most.
GC says
Christina – I’m so sorry for your friend’s loss of her son. What a terrible thing to have to endure.
I have the same thing going on with my hair! I feel like other women’s hair always looks perfect, and the slightest breeze makes mine look like I’ve been through a hurricane!
Gaye
The Marriage Bed (@themarriagebed) says
Great Post! However, I would alter your equation:
(The way you look / 2) + (The way you feel * 3) + (The way you treat others * 4) + (The way you treat yourself * 2)
Tiffany Huff (@SingleMomScenes) says
Yes! Beauty is definitely a package that goes far beyond that external one that we tend to focus on. I’m learning daily tomorrow my entire package even as I work to improve myself we set the tone for how others receive and respect our package!
GC says
Hi Tiffany – Yes, so much is tied up in how we see ourselves and how we treat ourselves. I think that others key off that in the way they perceive us.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Gaye