From the beginning of time, beauty has been something to behold and true beauty is breathless and ageless and flawless and spiritual because it is internal and internal beauty shines on the outside only when it has its origins in our souls.
Some would say that we are not totally to blame for our attitudes. Attitudes have Biblical roots and historical roots and even literary roots. Imagine yourself standing in the presence of Sir Thomas Overbury in the year 1613. Sir Thomas wrote of his wife "Beauty is only skin deep." Apparently, his comments didn't make his wife very happy! There is another part of the quote that reads "All the carnall beauty of my wife, Is but skin deep". I don't think his wife much cared for it. In 1651, Sir Thomas depicted her attitude in a somewhat notorious writing which was called "A True and Historical Relation of the Poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury". What do you think? Nah, don't think she was too happy with him. However, he was probably spot on with his thoughts.
Growing up, I can remember my mother adding a tagline to that famous quote and I would like to give her credit for it as I'm not sure of its origin, but here it is "ugly goes all the way to the bone." Talk about on the money! Can you think of people that this applies to? Me too. Can't we all just play nice?
If attitude is what you enjoy soaking up, then just watch tv! Night time television has given us a bevy of so-called "beautiful" people that we love to hate and with some of them, their "ugly" just can't help itself. They open their mouths and here it comes. Honey, let me tell you, that attitude just flows out like sour milk and vinegar and grinds our nerves like nails on a chalkboard. Oooo, I shiver at the very thought! It seems like the more outlandish the attitude, the stronger their following. I just don't get it. Whatever happened to being nice!
"You have the honesty of Abe Lincoln and the charm of the guy who shot him." Comedian, Dane Cook paid tribute to the departing American Idol judge Simon Cowell. Wish I would have thought of that! Simon was and is attitude from start to finish, and, would someone please buy that man a new sweater!
Summer replacement series on tv usually have lots of vinegar to go around. There is a program on now called True Beauty and it drives me nuts! I cannot stand to watch it, even though the story line of the show is to bring true inner beauty to the surface and let the plastic, hairspray and goo of the superficial group come off looking as "ugly to the bone". I don't even like the commercials for it. Jewelry, a perfect complexion, sculpted body, sparkling white teeth and the red Ferrari in the driveway do not the person make! Tried to teach my kids this for years. I think they have figured it out. Money doesn't buy happiness. Trust me, there are plenty of "beautiful" people out there right now that are being humbled every day. Life can do that to you, it's just a matter of time, but it will happen. Way too many people go through their whole life being beautiful on the surface and ugly to the bone because they have never had the joy of letting their true inner beauty radiate. If they haven't found that light that shines from within, they die ugly to the bone as well. Bless their hearts. You just kind of feel sorry for them.
So, now that I've totally confused all of you about the point of my story, I guess I will share it with you now. This whole thought process came to me while I was standing in a check out line at our super center (un-named). I stood there shaking my head and my mouth wide open while I watched and listened and cringed at the behavior of the children (and their parents) in front of me, as we waited for our turn to pay for our groceries. Screaming, kicking, horrid behaviors (and that was just the parents). Seriously, these kids were out of control, and what did they get for their tirades, a candy bar, a trashy magazine and a barrage of four letter words. The kids got attention and their parents taught them that their ugly behavior got them what they wanted and then turned towards those of us standing there in shocked horror and simply said "little brats, can't do anything with them". They weren't even embarrassed.
Folks, children learn by example, and it starts with ours. Unfortunately, they learn from the this fast-paced crazy world we live in, too. Children need to learn that true beauty is a light that shines from within, that it is giving and feeling and emotion and empathy and tenderness. They need to learn that strength comes from the ability to be yourself and stand up for yourself, to see beyond the superficial "glow" of things that entice them. They need to learn the difference between a true friend and an acquaintance. They need to know there are consequences for things and that they are not going to get patted on the head and excused from their negative behaviors.
Teach children that real beauty starts on the inside and isn't bought in a store and doesn't have a designer label, and doesn't brag about the house they live in or the car their daddy drives. Teach your children that store bought beauty is superficial and it's what is on the inside that counts. Beauty is only skin deep and ugly really does go all the way to the bone.
Here we go again, another song. Music and the thought behind it is powerful. I'm going to leave you with the lyrics to a song, a wonderful song written by Graham Nash, called Teach Your Children. Remember it?
You, who are on the road
Must have a code
That you can live by.
And so, become yourself
Because the past
Is just a goodbye.
Teach, your children well
Their father's hell
Did slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's
The one you'll know by.
Don't you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would die
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
And you (Can you hear and)
Of tender years (Do you care and)
Can't know the fears (Can you see we)
That your elders grew by (Must be free to)
And so please help (Teach your children)
Them with your youth (You believe and)
They seek the truth (Make a world that)
Before they can die (We can live in)
Teach your parents well
Their children’s hell
Will slowly go by
And feed them on your dreams
The one they pick's
The one you’ll know by.
Don’t you ever ask them why
If they told you, you would cry
So just look at them and sigh
And know they love you.
Love y'all,
Kaye
