Beauty

This came my way today. Which I thought very fitting, because for the past couple of weeks the theme of beauty has been on my mind.

Of course, this means superficial beauty isn't everything. And it is certainly true.
But perhaps whole beauty IS everything.

And as I am on my own journey to find my beauty I am remembering, relearning, refocusing, on the fact that when I work on my inner beauty I want to work on my outer beauty, and when I work on my outer beauty I want to work on my inner beauty. 

There are many ways to show our inner beauty: how we treat those around us (more powerful, less powerful), in our actions (respect for all things), in our thoughts (about others, about self).

We grow in beauty as we open our minds to let in the light.  We grow in beauty as we open our hearts to acceptance, to understanding, to forgiveness. 

There is MUCH in this world (and not of this world) to accept, to understand, and to forgive.

We learn to accept differences and that we can only lead by example.  Our examples burn brightly for others.  The hope is it shines brightly with the light of hope and love, rather than the destructive flames of hatred, fear, and ignorance. 

We learn to understand that we all operate out of fear at times.  Fear of being unloved, fear of the unknown, fear of failure.  And Sometimes operating out of love, wading through others' fear, seems to be futile, but you are still setting an example.

We learn to forgive.  Forgive mistakes, forgive intentions, forgive thoughtlessness, forgive impatience, forgive misunderstandings.

And the more we practice beauty, the more we see beauty, the more beauty blossoms around us. 

xo