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The Importance of Beauty
Why do we chase youth when eternity awaits?
Recently I read a Medium article by the very talented Katie Jgin that got me thinking. I had not been aware of just how toxic beauty culture has become. Some of the statistics mentioned in the article shocked me. It is also outside of my own milieu. The people in my life who I am close to don’t follow these trends.
However, I have younger friends who do closely follow the celebrities and influencers. And I have been troubled by how insecure they are. As an older person in their life, I try to speak words of encouragement to them when I can. I want to empower them, not tear them down.
Life has taught me that appearances don’t matter in the long run, though they can matter a lot on a superficial level. And this can be hurtful. I have been ignored, treated badly, and devalued based on my appearance by strangers and acquaintances who gave more attention to the “prettier” people. I get why women put so much emphasis on appearance — it makes a difference professionally as well as socially.
Yet… I have also learned that there is a spiritual well inside all of us that changes how we view the world. In the long run, this feeds our souls and changes our lives. But we have to change our view of what it means to be successful and what it means to be empowered.
