Hello Beautiful!
I. Am so. EXCITED to
be able to share my thoughts with you over the next 4 months! I thought about getting this blog internship all last semester and am chock full of things to talk with you about. My name is Grace
and I'm in my second semester here at BYU. I graduated from high school
this spring.
I may be young, but through many perplexing experiences surrounding
physical beauty, I have finally found a way of thinking about beauty that
empowers not only me but those around me. I hope you'll share
your thoughts with me too; I'd love to read your comments and ideas!
I’ve often heard of
"redefining beauty," and it confuses me. Redefining beauty into what?
There is, without question, a mass-media push away from the stereotypical
definition of beauty as 36-24-36 measurements, but the push often seems simply
away from that and not towards any other clear, well-rounded definition. ;)
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| Look familiar? Anyone? |
The concept of
“Recapturing Beauty” caught my attention.
"Recapturing beauty" suggests that beauty is not something I
can define, but offers instead that beauty is, eternally, something in and of
itself, that it has its own definition not subject to media campaigns.
What then IS beauty?
A year and a half ago I had some experiences that got me thinking about what
“beauty” meant and what its qualifications and effects are. (I'll let you in on some of those soon!) I have become a
student of beauty--of how “inner” beauty is spoken of in church or scriptures;
of how societies define, create, and treat “outer” beauty; of how beauty is
expressed in the natural world. I have seen how things deemed beautiful are
celebrated or torn down. I take notice of ways people use the word “beauty” or
"beautiful.”
I have concluded
this--
Beauty is truth. Beauty is potential. Beauty is our spirits and bodies
striving to compliment and strengthen one another. Beauty is anything
reminiscent of the eternal perfection our spirits lived in for eons of time
before coming to this earth. Since you and I have bodies now, finding a
consistent way to apply beauty to our physical state is tricky.
Because our bodies
are created by God they are beautiful. However, I feel that beauty most when my
body is a healthy partner, not a dictator, for my spirit. When my body is
tired, stressed, or (ah-hem) PMS-style craving sugar, my spirit has a far more
difficult time “giving thanks in all things” or “being in the service of my
fellow men.” The more I am well rested, eat a balanced diet, and exercise, the
more my body is a partner to my spirit in rejoicing and serving. Also, because
we interact so much with others (and are generally happier when we do so), it’s
helpful to present our bodies in ways that aren't distracting or inappropriate
for the situation.
God has designed our bodies and spirits to enrich each other, and I deeply believe that strengthening
this partnership is how to recapture beauty. Am I an expert at it? No. . . .not yet. But I hope you'll join me the next few months as I explore and learn new things!
What part of your beauty will YOU recapture this week? I'd love to hear in the comments below!
Grace
What part of your beauty will YOU recapture this week? I'd love to hear in the comments below!
Grace
3 comments:
This article is an excellent start. I pray it all goes well and you continue to gain readers. While being a good influence on their minds and spirit. Keep up the Good work!
This is a truly beautiful post, thank you. It is so difficult to talk about beauty, I think, because there isn't and shouldn't be a set definition. Everyone defines beauty by the way they live and act and are. How tragic would it be if there was only one kind of flower! Of course it's easy to talk about it, but it's so much harder to convince a 14-year old girl that she's beautiful simply because she's alive and trying to be her best self. I hope that I can recapture beauty by seeing it in everyone around me--It is there! I think that sincerity it beautiful because it's unique, and the spirit can illuminate us when we are simply ourselves. We come to know Christ by coming to know the good in other people, don't you think? Anyways, sorry for the novel. I'm passionate about this too! I look forward to more of your lovely writing and ideas.
Thank you so much to both of you! It is so difficult to get a 14-year old to understand that, but dog gone it I want to try. Sincerity IS beautiful, its part of your spirit! And I am so glad there is more than one kind of flower, just like there's more than one type of body or energies people have. Our bodies are such amazing creations, and I want to start seeing the beauty in each and every one more sincerely as well.
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