True Beauty

Posted on February 17, 2014 by

“Now we make you ugly, my mother said. She whistled. Her mouth was so close she sprayed my neck with her whistle-spit. I could smell beer. In the mirror I watched her move the piece of charcoal across my face. It’s a nasty life, she whispered.”

~ from Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement

What is the definition of true beauty? I’ve often written about beauty; the beauty found in nature, the beauty of motherhood, and the beauty of simplicity populate this blog on a regular basis. I find my soul searching for beauty in the everyday moments of life, my heart clinging to those images that I fear will be simply flashes in an overly full life. Beauty, in my world, is found in the landscapes that surround me, the spirit of my children, and the thought that right now, this moment, is everything it needs to be.

But after reading Prayers for the Stolen, the opening quote above has lingered in my mind. What does true, human beauty look like, and how does it influence how we see the world, and how we interpret the moments of our lives?

Mary Wollstonecraft believed that “Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman’s scepter, the mind shapes itself to the body, and roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison.” Does physical beauty hinder a woman’s ability to be seen as an entity onto herself, trapping her in some sort of self-imposed prison? Our media would certainly have us believe the contrary; daily we are barraged by messages of power and strength born through a beautiful exterior, with intelligence and inner fortitude taking second place to air brushed images of ‘real women’ on our social media feeds.

A few years ago I wrote about Iran’s banning of the Barbie doll, and in some ways, I agreed with their attempts to squelch the stereotypical image of westernized beauty – in my own home, I had experienced a similar ‘banning’ of Barbie for my own daughter. Although not a fan of censorship in any form, their alternative to Barbie did seem more physically realistic. As a mother, I’ve attempted to create a home where strong, healthy bodies are honored and valued over what type of clothing or make up we adorn those bodies with. I’ve hoped that these words for my own daughter echo those of Eckhart Tolle when he reminds us that ‘If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place.” I want my daughter to harness the power of her inner beauty,blooming into a woman who is seen first as a beautiful human from the inside out.

I hold onto the hope that together, we can teach our girls that physical beauty is not the end goal of womanhood, and also that physical beauty doesn’t have to hinder us or force us into fallacious roles adopted out of some perceived societal expectations. I hope that our daughters will learn that true beauty burns from within, that beauty is no indicator of intelligence, and to truly grow into woman hood, as Mary Wollstonecraft reminds us, “[I]f we revert to history, we shall find that the women who have distinguished themselves have neither been the most beautiful nor the most gentle of their sex.” Beauty, in my world, has no bearing on success, happiness or an ability to chase our dreams. True beauty, in my world, comes from the inside out or the outside in. It really doesn’t matter how we get there, as long as we eventually find it.

This post was inspired by the novel Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement.  Ladydi was grew up in rural Mexico, where being a girl is a dangerous thing.She and other girls were “made ugly” to keep protect them from drug traffickers and criminal groups. Join From Left to Write on February 18 we discuss Prayers for the Stolen. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

More Posts - Website

Follow Me:
TwitterFacebookLinkedInPinterestGoogle PlusYelp

Comments: 10

    • Jennifer Wolfe

      February 22, 2014

      Oh thank you, Laura. I sincerely hope we’re raising a generation of humans that can look beyond appearances, and learn to develop their inner strength at a young age. Thanks for commenting! ~Jennifer

      Reply
  • My Inner Chick

    February 18, 2014

    ****I want my daughter to harness the power of her inner beauty,blooming into a woman who is seen first as a beautiful human from the inside out****

    I so so so wish society and the media could see this perspective! xx

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wolfe

      February 22, 2014

      Me, too, Kim. Me, too. Guess it’s up to us to start making our message heard! Hugs, Jennifer

      Reply
  • Kelly @ Cupcake Kelly's

    February 18, 2014

    While I only have a son, I try to teach him to treat everyone the same. Calling a woman fat or ugly isn’t right, but it also isn’t right to call a man that, regardless of the fact that most of the time men are able to let it roll off their back.
    Kelly @ Cupcake Kelly’s recently posted…Prayers for the Stolen: InnocenceMy Profile

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wolfe

      February 22, 2014

      Kelly, you’re absolutely right. I’m raising a son and a daughter, and strive to model kind and loving behavior for all people, regardless of gender or anything else. We can do it – I’m confident! ~Jennifer

      Reply
  • Martha

    February 18, 2014

    Love this post. So so much!
    I wish all parents saw how important it is to cultivate ideas that turn out powerful children who aren’t afraid to be strong or intellectual in favor of societal norms. I think you’re on to something here, but then again, every time I read your blog, I am impressed by your parenthood skills. Hopefully one day I can use some of your knowledge on my own children.
    Martha recently posted…Nobody ever accused me of being the brightest crayon…My Profile

    Reply
    • Jennifer Wolfe

      February 22, 2014

      Martha, you are too kind. I do believe we each have an individual responsibility to teach all children to be kind, loving and compassionate people. Just imagine the change we could see in the world! Step by step, we can do it…together. Thanks so much for commenting and supporting mamawolfe. ~Jennifer

      Reply
  • Thien-Kim

    February 17, 2014

    I have banned Barbies in our home to. What is considered beautiful can change from culture to culture. Because my kids are biracial, I try to teach them that they are beautiful both inside and out, even if they don’t look exactly like their parents.
    Thien-Kim recently posted…Book Review: The Secret History of Las VegasMy Profile

    Reply
  • Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    CommentLuv badge