When Does One Qualify For Beauty?

“No object is so beautiful that, under certain conditions, it will not look ugly.” – Oscar Wilde

Quite frankly, I think Oscar Wilde said it best! Can someone truly define beauty? How much pain must one endure to finally qualify for this beauty? Every day I see girls sacrifice their morals and their images to be considered “beautiful”. They put on pounds of make up, spend the money that they don’t have to buy the best name brands, and pretend to be who they are not. A friend of mine had a headband which, although it complimented her attire and hair, made her lightheaded and almost cut off her blood circulation. She was so adamant on wearing that headband because it made her look “beautiful” that she would sacrifice her health! Society makes us insecure about ourselves and tells us that the way we look is not acceptable. The media, showing the beautiful celebrities who look good without even trying, tells us that our noses are too crooked, our smiles are too toothy, and our cheekbones are not high enough. I remember picking up a magazine and seeing the flawless models on the cover. I began to feel insecure, basking in my own self pity. I thought “Why are girls blessed with such beauty? How is it possible to look so flawless? How come I am so ugly?” Little did I know the process that occurs to get those girls looking so gorgeous. From the makeup, to the airbrushing, to the photo shopping! I know that some people truly are that beautiful, which is great for them, but we need to stop comparing ourselves to others and accept ourselves for who we are. Yeah, we might not have the straightest teeth, smallest nose, longest hair, but we should make all those flaws our strengths, not weaknesses!

I’ve always loved the saying “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”! I love this because it reminds me to not let the paradigms of others get in the way of how I view myself. When I look at myself in the mirror, I see potential, ambition, beauty, and uniqueness. I am myself, not who others want me to be, and that is all that matters! It is heartbreaking when I hear my fellow teens say “I wish I looked like her or had her hair”. We are so obsessed on comparisons that we do not appreciate our own beauty! Beauty is not wearing pounds of makeup, or the materialistic things. It is something that each and everyone of us has! We are just so blinded by what the society and media tells us it is, that we can never truly understand or see our own beauty. Children commit suicide and destroy themselves with drugs because they are told that they are ugly! Insecurities are high and self esteems are low because people think they are not good enough. Well, here’s a challenge for anyone reading this. Go out of your way today, maybe even everyday, and tell someone how beautiful they are. Compliment them and make their day. It doesn’t have to be about their hair, their clothing, their shoes, it’s the little things that matter. A simple smile goes a  long way! When someone can find the true definition of beauty, inform me because I still don’t know! Does is have to hurt as much as we think? I need answers!

Happy Sunday

– Yours Truly, Faith