"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when the do it from religious conviction." Blaise Pascal
"Our own pulse beats in every stranger's throat." Barbara Deming
"We are, all of us , ordinary people. Liberation begins when we know that."
K.D. Singh
When I worked with adolescents they were, of course, obsessed with their appearance. That is their job after all: to display their feathers, to show their skills and their fitness in dancing. This is how young humans choose partners, at least it is until we learn to look beneath & beyond appearances.
"There will always be someone cuter than you, and there will always be somebody less attractive," I told them, "but when you meet someone who touches your heart, you see so much more than their 'looks.' They are beautiful to you because they are special to you. Looks only go so far - other qualities become much more important."
Also, I have learned that people don't even look at us they way we scrutinize ourselves in the mirror. While we focus on our hair, features, or perceived "blemishes" the world takes us all in at once. Mere appearance actually is secondary, I believe, to the behavioral cues and energetic emanations which we all carry around. Remember the conventionally pretty girl who couldn't get a date, or the "plain" Jane who was always popular? Clearly there is more at play than appearances.
Yes, I have learned that 90% of our appearance is determined by posture, our facial expression, and most importantly our attitudes. When we enter a room others see a movie start. And they hear our unmistakable overture begin to play. . .
A L O H A, Cloudia
"When we enter a room others see a movie start. And they hear our unmistakable overture begin to play..."
ReplyDeleteI know this is true in places, but not where I am at the moment. In Detroit, the "forward thinking" community that it is, whenever someone walks into the room the same overture begins..."Hmmm they're (insert skin color here)..." Then the rest of the symphony is determined, destined to bomb.
Good morning, Cloudia. I give this message regularly to my teenage daughters. I would add that outward beauty, no matter how much there is, eventually fades. At that point, you are left with the inner beauty, or lack thereof.
ReplyDeleteSo well said!
ReplyDeleteThe older I get, the more I appreciate those who are simply alive, kind, and authentic...
And those who see the fun and goodness in life.
:)
That Pascal quote sure hits the nail on the head. One of the things that greatly troubles me about the human race.
ReplyDeleteOh you are so right m'dear. Once we get over how we look we become the real us and people see it!
ReplyDeleteHow true, you are a wise lady Cloudia. One of the many reasons I love visiting your blog.
ReplyDeleteSuch wise observations! The lucky ones are those who discover this later in life. The rest don't discover it at all! Reminds me of that saying that goes something like, We wouldn't worry so much what others think of us if we knew how infrequently they did!
ReplyDeleteAs always excellent photos w/even more illuminating text/quotes .. but the shot of the child in the window is so so so good .. it might be my fav ever
ReplyDeleteI also know this to be true, a big attractive smile can transform even the homeliest face, and a scowl can change the beauty of an angel.
ReplyDeleteWell put Claudia.
beautiful insight into introspection that one must indulge in to discover oneself before passing judgments on others!
ReplyDeletethe pictures as usual were beautiful!
Thank you, my Friends!!
ReplyDeleteAloha to you all-
YES! I wholeheartedly agree! When you said that teenagers are showing their feathers and that they need this until they learn to look beyond the physical appearance...you got it exactly right. How lucky they were to hear that from you.
ReplyDeleteWonderful...Peace - D
Most books are judged by their cover and not their inner contents.
ReplyDelete