Tuesday, September 2, 2008

One True Beauty Secret

Below are some of Audrey Hepburn's Beauty Secrets.

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!


This weekend I was with family celebrating the holiday. We had a great time. The past three years we have been going to my aunt's for an overnight campout. Everyone pitches their tents, we do the bonfire, smores, flashlight tag, sometimes the guitars and harmonica break out, it's just a great time all together.

As a family we feel so blessed to be able to make these memories for our little ones, that's who we do it for. Don't get me wrong, we enjoy each others company and any opportunity we have to get together. But overall, we do a lot to make sure our kids will always know they are welcome here and loved very much. My grandma always says if you don't have family to count on then who do you have.
My husbands family has traditions also and they also do a lot for the kids. They are better organized where my family is more laid back. Both are good. But for the most part, I prefer not having a schedule when it comes to family gatherings. This drives my husband crazy.

Here's a big difference that I noticed in the women between the two families: appearance/the desire to look good. While I'm all for being healthy, keeping yourself up, I am not too concerned with what other people think of me until I'm around those who do care too much, I think, about their appearance/beauty. Then I become self conscious, which is not really one of my true characteristics. I start to feel uncomfortable with our family gatherings when they start talking about what they are doing or have done to improve their God-given imperfections. I have had a crazy acting thyroid since the birth of my first son, three years ago and as a result have put on a lot of extra weight which has been such an effort to try to tame. Talk about feeling insecure. But, I just accept it and try to continue to be healthy in spite of it.

All my life I feel I have been surrounded by beautiful, gorgeous women. As I grew older and became a woman myself I really started noticing the common beauty secret among these beauties. That secret is that it was not so much outward beauty that these women radiated but instead the inner beauty that beamed from within. The Spirit within them radiated through them. There is a something about them and I know what that something is. It is what I strive for. It's the beauty I have been praying for, the inward beauty. Our body will age, it will sag, things will not always look and work the way they once did ( so take a lot of pictures while you can, that's what I tell my younger sister)
But, true beauty does not fade, it is like fine wine, it gets better with age because of the wisdom that comes with it, it continues to work the way it once did- the woman who has this becomes even more radiant as time goes by because with her age she has experience which is now more evident than when she was young. It's a secret I wish more of us would realize and believe in.

You may receive temporary happiness by the things you do to the outward shell, but they are only temporary. The only lasting beauty comes from what's inside and until you experience that inward joy you will never truly be happy with yourself. Life is too short. There will always be someone prettier, funnier, skinnier, smarter, but there is only one you. Love your self- flaws and all.

I recently read an article where Jennifer Garner said she used to hate her dimples until she saw them in her daughter Violet. Her once imperfection has become a perfection she sees when she looks at her own child.

We are a reflection of God- He made us exactly how we are meant to be - imperfections and all.

Live Life!