Beauty Within

I love the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. Aside from its surface love story and endearing characters, there is a wonderful deeper meaning to it all.

Many of us struggle to keep our more unwanted features and aspects of ourselves hidden from others, and many times even from ourselves. It's normal to initially look upon these characteristics and qualities with disdain, frustration, and anger. Yet behind all those discordant emotions, there lies a depth of beauty - an opportunity to learn and to grow right there within ourselves. 

In the animation movie, Bell saw beyond the physical appearance of what she initially perceived as a ghastly being. She learned that the Beast was more than what he portrayed on the outside - that he had great beauty within  as well.

As we experience life, we sometimes find our patience wearing thin when dealing with ourselves, coworkers, family members, and neighbors. It is in those times that it's helpful to try and step back and see beyond what's shown to us on the surface. Feel what is going on beneath the actions and words. 

Beauty and the Beast can be likened to our own human struggle for self-acceptance, with all our perceived flaws. As we learn to love our flaws, they seem to dissipate into something more beautiful than we had originally imagined.

What perceived Beasts will you look beyond to find the true jewel and Beauty within?

Truth

The definition of this word seems to deepen as the years pass.

When we are young, truth is focused on not telling lies, being honest and telling the truth. 

 

In teenage years, truth develops into expressing ourselves in ways that have significance to us.

 

As we move into the 20s and 30s we consider what livelihood(s) matches our values and priorities, expressing truth in a new way.

 

Throughout all this we also consider not telling the truth because someone may take it to heart, they may disagree, be disappointed, or feelings may be hurt.

 

As we grow, we continue to realize the core values and truths that drive us. Living our truth becomes paramount in a deep, self- aware perspective.

 

We seek members of our "tribe" - people who also feel the call, the need, the desire to live their truth - which may not always be aligned with ours, yet we respect one's ability to live their truth as well. For it is in our brilliance and uniqueness of the values and inspirations that drive us to live truthfully that allow us to flourish as a human race.

Where are you living your truth?  What spaces can you create to express your truth, compassionately - to fulfill a passion within and inspire others who dare to listen, who dare to watch, who dare to be inspired to live theirs as well?