“Beauty is not in the face; it is a light in the heart.”
Khalil Gibran
Last week was all about the secret to powerful critical thinking; being artistic. The 18th week of this year brings us to a word that is familiar to all of us; beautiful. There are multiple industries built on helping you to become beautiful or chasing beauty. But what if the answer is to true beauty is not what you think? Are you open to an alternative source?
Career Day Fun
The past few weeks have taken me on a Career Day tour to classrooms across the Kansas City Metropolitan area. I've had the chance to hang out with some awesome students, share my Author/Illustrator Origin Story with them, and hear more about what they're interested in doing for a living. Let me tell ya, the YouTubers are coming...I heard some really cool channel ideas and I hope they follow up on them!
What was exciting to see with each class rotation was the smile on the faces of each child as they entered the room ready to find out more about what I did, or the pride they showed as they shared their dream career with me. Each visit is a reminder of the source where joy and beauty originate.
Let me explain...
A Reflective Conversation
During this morning's Career Day presentation, I was waiting for a group of kids to get settled in on the rainbow rug when I noticed one student smiling at me from ear to ear. I greeted him with a nod since they were supposed to be getting into their listening positions. He began to nod in return while still smiling wide and I could feel the words about to rise from his soul. I just wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say.
"You look happy!" he said to me.
"I am happy!" I replied in a whisper.
"You were smiling when we came in!" he continued.
"I was?" I asked in return.
I hadn't realized that I was smiling, but it didn't go unnoticed to him or any of the other students in this particular class. They all fell silent and with wide smiles, then nodded in excited agreement with this young man.
"It's so much fun to see how eager you all are to learn something new!" I said to the class aloud, no longer whispering - since they were all paying attention.
What they didn't realize is that my smile was a reflection of the joy and beauty that their hearts brought into the room as they were so excited to hear about my career. Children are like walking and talking reminders of what we left behind (often because we felt like we had to) along our journey into adulthood. While their hearts and souls are still pure, they radiate beauty.
Becoming Beautiful
So, while there's much talk about "Becoming Beautiful Right Now," or "Secrets to Becoming More Beautiful Overnight," or "How to Become Beautiful and Desirable," or "7 Quick Fixes to Look More Attractive," my gut says we might be focusing too much on outward appearance. True beauty stems from within, while all the extra stuff might enhance it. Sometimes the pursuit of outward beauty can even mask the real deal. But true beauty itself is the light that radiates from knowing and understanding who we are. Instead of looking outward, let's look inward.
Everything you need to know about becoming beautiful is that beauty blossoms where we allow it to grow. So...
Friend Yourself: one of the most challenging parts of becoming an adult, is accepting all of who you are - especially those parts you feel like the rest of us would scoff at. But, knowing what we value and like holds a lot of weight in how we present ourselves to the world. When you friend yourself, you are giving yourself permission to like who you are. Once you like appreciate and like YOU, so can the rest of us.
Shine On: Allow your light to shine so the rest of us can see it. You never know who's watching and who might be inspired to allow more of their own light to be seen.
Acknowledge Another's Glow: When you see the light beaming from someone else's heart and soul, tell them so. Doing so only keeps the cycle of beauty rolling.
Again, everything you need to know about becoming beautiful is that beauty blossoms where we allow it to grow.
"The flower doesn't dream of the bee.
It blossoms and the bee comes."
Mark Nepo
Be beautiful, friends! #Go52
C. L. Fails