True Beauty

Hello friends. I've missed you. Sorry for the absence. We went away. My little foursome shut things down, lounged on the beach, and lazily lingered in each others company for a whole week. It was blissful and the break from technology allowed me to really think about the fingerprints I create on this blog every week. The tech-free silence inspired me. I am back now and I have more to say. More about love. More about compassion. And more about the beautiful things I see every day.

Do you believe me? It's true. There is something beautiful within each of us. Do you see it? Look harder. What do you notice first when you look in the mirror? Do you believe people when they tell you you look beautiful? I must admit - I don't.

Recently I have started to notice the fine lines on my face. I roll my eyes at the lumps and bumps that speckle my back side and thighs. The small scars on my neck, chin and leg bother me and I am tempted to conceal them with make-up when I go out. Too often I consciously shuffle myself to the left side of a group being photographed so that the picture captures my "better side". I suck in and smile smaller so the wrinkles aren't so deep. I don't like that a rather loud voice inside my head often says "Ugh, you look older, more tired, and you need make-up today for sure." Why doesn't that voice say something kind? Why is it so hard for her to see the good stuff? The inner beauty.

Dove is a brand that focuses on beauty. They have brilliantly launched a new ad campaign that illustrates the difference in how we see ourselves and how others see us. The images in this video speak for themselves. They identify the murky lens many of us look through when looking at ourselves. The message within the campaign reminds us that on the opposite side of every image shadowed in darkness is the brightly lit other side of the same object that is illuminated and truly glows. We need to walk through the shadows of self-doubt to see what is on the other side.

If the video doesn't work, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpaOjMXyJGk

You are more beautiful than you think. Remember that. And let's make sure the children of our world grow up knowing how to identify their own beauty. Don't let them get confused by what real beauty is. It is a not a number on a scale or a crystal clear complexion. It is a way of being. 

When children look into your eyes let them see a reflection that says, "You are beautiful." I know I don't want to leave my two daughters a legacy that includes insecurity and self-doubt. I want them to truly know the beauty within themselves. I want them to notice the sparkle from the inside because that is what matters.

Look in the mirror today - smile - and see the beauty. Others see it. You should too.