Yesú calls me beautiful.
I have decided that no one else, no external source – family, society, media, religious leaders, culture (my curry folks/folx included) define beauty for me. I AM defined by The Most Powerful, Incomparably Kind, Ceaselessly Loving and Fiercely Loyal One, my Abba and Amma, my Constant, Yesú.
I have beauty to offer regardless of the size of my lips, nose, chest, hips, thighs or any other part of me. I have beauty to offer regardless of the color of my eyes or the tone of my skin. I have beauty to offer regardless of my level of education.
I have beauty to offer whether I have (or don’t have) tattoos, body piercings or cosmetic surgery. I have beauty to offer whether I gave birth, adopted, never had kids, married, divorced, widowed, never married or remarried!
I have beauty to offer regardless of the amount of hair (or lack of) on my head (or anywhere else on my body, for that matter!). Speaking of hair, there is such a vast amount of cultural/religious practices and beliefs surrounding hair…worldwide. I am of South Indian descent. Long hair is/was synonymous with woman.
At forty-three years of age, while in Chennai, on a trip for my non-profit org, I decided to shave my head, for the first time in my life!
My mother was appalled and disappointed beyond words. My husband didn’t speak to me for three weeks (rolling my eyes and shaking my head).
A person I’d considered a friend completely distanced herself and when asked, said she thought I did it for attention (twenty years and she still doesn’t know me!). Sidebar: length of time doesn’t translate to knowledge, care or depth of friendship. Anyhow, she refused to allow me a real conversation. I can’t begin to imagine why she thought she had a say on MY hair. I’m alright with people not liking it (some other friends shared that they didn’t like it; we all have our preferences), but I’m not anyone’s property and do not require human “approval”.
I AM led by The Divine. I choose to listen to the thoughts and opinions of those whom I have committed to learn from, grow with, value and respect. People of integrity, wisdom, kindness and love.
On that late summer afternoon, the sixth of July in two thousand nineteen, when I looked in the mirror of that salon in Chennai (freshly shaved!), I immediately saw my dad. That brought tears…sigh…miss him so much.
Here’s the essence of what I journaled that day: shaving my head is symbolic…for me, personally it’s a shedding of all the weight I need not carry, but for too long, have carried. It is representative of my belief that true beauty can not be dictated/defined by any external source. The Divine has deemed me worthy, beautiful and irreplaceable. I embrace beauty from my core and choose to fully be ME!
So…this week (on Inauguration Day, in fact), I donned my pearls and went for a haircut (see today’s blog image!). I have beauty to offer…and so do you, dear heart!
Even if you may not believe it just yet, say these words below (out loud!). I’ll say them with you! Write them on your mirror. Write them on a notecard and tape it to your wallet (or somewhere you can be reminded often).
I AM beautiful and I have beauty to offer the world.
Gandhiji said, “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change“.
Do we believe long hair, fair skin, body size or some other external source defines beauty? If so, want to begin the journey of discarding those ideas and embracing Truth…want to start looking through a different lens, welcoming a new perspective? Let all the feelings and thoughts come up ~ why do we place value on the length/color/style of a woman’s hair or other external items…fill in the blank? What’s one step we can take towards change today?
Common Day Hero: You are a kind heart. You step in and help without being asked (when I ask as well!). You are a beautiful soul and continue to bring so much beauty to the spaces that are fortunate to have you. Today, KimD, I dedicate this post to you.
