To Whom It May Concern: You are Beautiful

"Accept your own beauty. You are beautiful no matter what your mind tells you. That is a fact. If you are aware of your own beauty and accept your own beauty, the opinion of others doesn't affect you at all." don Miguel Ruiz

The gardens at Omega in Rhinebeck, NY

We live in a world where external beauty is often placed on a pedestal while inner beauty, truth and morality are not as appreciated. Today, I invite you to consider yourself beautiful for all the special ways you honor those around you and for all the things you do to keep your life vibrant. Do you think you are not beautiful? Why? Who has interrupted your ability to express who you truly are? You are beautiful...

BEAUTY by Charles Baudelaire
I AM as lovely as a dream in stone,
And this my heart where each finds death in turn,
Inspires the poet with a love as lone
As clay eternal and as taciturn.

Swan-white of heart, a sphinx no mortal knows,
My throne is in the heaven's azure deep;
I hate all movements that disturb my pose,
I smile not ever, neither do I weep.

Before my monumental attitudes,
That breathe a soul into the plastic arts,
My poets pray in austere studious moods,

For I, to fold enchantment round their hearts,
Have pools of light where beauty flames and dies,
The placid mirrors of my luminous eyes.

We can't afford to enter the New Year with this mentality of being less than the perfect child of God we truly are... Below I have added a few more notes and poems to jug our memories and remind us why we are cherished and beautiful regardless of what others think or say...


We all fall short somewhere and somehow, but beauty is an inner state and we must choose to see our own richness. As don Miguel suggests, we must not let the opinion of others affect or taint our belief in ourselves. Yes, we are all bombarded by the messages and the expectations are incredibly, ridiculously narrow... but don't let that define you. You are beautiful. Use your awareness to see how this message is true in your life: This I know for sure… beauty is in the eye of the beholder, behold yours now...

Grounds of Champlain College, Vermont

She Walks In Beauty by Lord Byron
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

A Thing of Beauty by John Keats from Endymion, 1818
A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkn'd ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep; and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills
That for themselves a cooling covert make
'Gainst the hot season; the mid-forest brake,
Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms:
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.


What does beauty mean to you? Where did you first hear/learn that you are/you are not beautiful?  Do Share. Happy Holidays!

Elizabeth Obih-Frank believes in positive kismet/fate and writes two bi-weekly blogs; Mirth and Motivation and Positive Kismet where she shares motivational, goodwill pieces and more. She is a mom to twins, a master trainer/educator, program developer & director, writer, healer, motivational speaker, real estate broker, and social media fan. She loves a good laugh, good food and great travel opportunities.

PHOTO CREDITS
Photographs from my personal collection

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank