….Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder…
John Lyly, ‘The Eupheus’ 1588
It’s interesting to realize how fascinated we’ve become with the idea of looking good. It’s gotten to a point where some people have grown to think that beauty is an undeniable-key factor to happiness. To them, the fact that physical appearances have become an important necessity for many aspects of our daily life, (like matters related to love and the business-world) means that we should let the way we look/appear in public govern our lives. I mean, maybe this pervasive attitude is just a side effect from the influence of the media on us.
But then…
Just because it’s important to look good, does that mean we need to be insanely pretty if we want to live a better life?
I guess not. ‘Cos the truth is, a person’s happiness doesn’t depend on the person’s physical appearance. Rather, it depends on the person’s outlook on life.
A person with a wrong focus in life, will eventually have a wrong understanding of life…
… and what makes him/her happy.
You see, your body is your own business. Your own temple, and garden to take care of…
and mine, is my own business and temple to take care of.
So, whether or not you fit the average perception of being beautiful, I want you to always remember that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. ” I may look “ugly”, to Jane Today. While, to Lisa, I may look beautiful. As such, we shouldn’t always bother ourselves with the notion that happiness, can be achieved only when we look like our favorite models, athletes and celebrities.
However, that’s not to say we should look loutish and uncouth, because it’s always necessary not to lose sight of how things really are. “ As children, we learn implicitly that good people are beautiful and bad people are ugly, and society relates the message in many subtle as ways we grow older.” Diane Ackerman,’Why One’s Beauty Matters’. These messages, are put everywhere… the Tv commercials, the internet, the movie/shows we watch, the news etc. ( EVERYTHING!) So,eventually, it becomes part of our psyche, to end up intentionally or unintentionally sending out messages that may or may not, alter our views of beauty. I mean, think about it… How many girls out there, watch music videos for example, and not secretly wish they could be as “pretty” as Beyoncé, Kim-K, Taraji-P. Henson, Sahndra Fondufe, or Rihanna? etc
The answer is a lot.
(Btw… I’m just calling names. So please don’t feel left out..lol)
And I do sympathize, with them because I know that feeling a little bit too well. You see, I once went for medical treatment, and the doctor who came to tend me was a 6 foot 7, Ukrainian war machine with a long green mohawk, and multiple facial piercings. I mean, it was so awful and befuddling an experience for me to handle. So, I left the room, and requested a new doctor. But then, every time I think about it, I’m always left wondering If my reaction was proper. (What will you have done?-Put comment in the comment box)
Anyway, I guess we must count ourselves lucky, to have a world that needs more than just pretty faces, and fit, attractive people. I mean, not everybody can be a model after all. But I guess, the only people who care, are those who haven’t realized that there are plenty of jobs, available for those whose qualifications are bigger than the size of their waistlines.
So, in conclusion
…
Learn to own your body.
Whether you are big or small, lanky or chubby, skinny or muscular, burnt or not, handicapped or not. Own your body! Own your body, remembering to keep a realistic view of your personal appearance in mind, while making sure that it doesn’t become your number 1 priority. Lastly, we should never let the media get to us, because after all, without beast there would be no beauty. But then again what I do know? I’m just a boy, standing up to the media. While hoping sincerely that one day our culture will eventually see the light, and give us all a chance to shine…
(A Glen-Verberile re-write of the-”Looks Vs Happiness, You Decide Which Matters” essay...)
(… written by Bryana Ortiz)
And oh Btw the story about the doctor isn’t true… I just wanted to make you relate to my point more. I still want to hear what you would have done. If it happened to you. 😛
Verberile 
