The B-word

Photo by: Rory M. 

Over the weekend, my brother told me something that struck me so much I knew I needed to write about it. Saturday night, we went to a birthday party. Afterwards, he walked me to the bus stop, and we chatted until the bus came. We talked about the party and the neighborhood, and all manner of silly things until he suddenly became very serious.

"Rory, you're beautiful. You know that?"

I let that sink in for a moment. I wasn't sure what he meant, but I knew he wasn't referring to how I looked that night. As if reading my mind, he said, "Not like fashion and style beauty, although you always look good, but the inner beauty." Cue heart melt.

I spoke with a friend over the summer about what we referred to as the "B-word" and how it connotes so much more than good looks. The word "beautiful" carries a weight with it that's hard to describe. It consists of all these inner qualities that radiate out. I love this quote from Roald Dahl's The Twits. I think it captures what I'm trying to say perfectly:

"A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” 

And it also goes the other way.

I once knew someone who would have been deemed "beautiful" by worldly standards. She had a coveted physique, fabulous hair, great bone structure, and flawless skin. I don't know what she spent her thoughts on, but she often spoke judgmental and condemning words. As a result, she had few friends, and people began to sense the inner person before even acknowledging her looks.

People have different ways of attaining their personal beauty. It is found in anything that lights your fire- anything that gets you excited about life. The most effective makeover trick I could ever pass on would be this: Fill your heart with so much joy and passion that it has nowhere to go  but out. There is nothing more beautiful than that.

This isn't meant to sound like, "Oh hey, look at how cool I am", but starting this blog has been a sort of check for me. It's pushed me to do and experience more of life that gets me excited. Since then, it's inspired me to chase a life that produces inner beauty. This is merely an encouragement to find your beauty and share it with the world!

Happy weekend!

Rory