My relationship with my neighbor has been to say the least, a bit rocky. For the first months of our lives here she didn’t speak to us. Well she didn’t really acknowledge our presence. Our comments were ignored our children were disregarded. When I looked at her, I saw mean. I saw unhappiness. There was no beauty, just a bitter old woman. Her acts and attitude determined the contours of her face. With every grunt and snub she displayed more dark lines. The dark lines outlined her mouth which had obtained a permanent frown from the years of hardship life had bestowed on her.
One day Savannah was the influence I usually need at such times and taught me a great lesson on bravery. She had hurt a friend’s feelings at school and I urged her to make amends. The next day, she courageously apologized. Her act made me contemplate my relationship with this so called neighbor. As I summoned up the courage to approach and deposit a friendly smile her way, I wondered how this gesture would be received. Could such a woman ever accept my friendship?
I walked outside wishing for the bravery of an 8 year old and smiled my warmest smile; pointing it directly at her dark gloomy face. Seemingly she accepted the smile, so I intrepidly said a friendly “Hello!” Which proceeded with a “How are you?” I immediately saw something come upon her face that I had yet to see in all the time we had lived here. A smile!
Ever since that day of breaking clouds, our relationship has continued to flourish into a friendly acquaintance. It wasn’t until today though that I noticed something unusual occur. As I stood speaking to her, she commented on her meeting my mother. She spoke of how beautiful my mother was. As she spoke I couldn’t help but examine her own beauty. This was when I truly realized how contingent beauty really is. The contingency is based on how their character radiates out to other people. Some would call this inward beauty. This is a principle I had been taught all my life. It is the inward beauty that counts; it can alter your countenance. But I have never actually witnessed the physical transformation it can make. Her dark lines had diminished. Her wrinkles were fewer and far between. Not only had her countenance changed, but she had literally become more beautiful.
Now the reality is no matter how incredible we are as a person the aging process won’t be hindered, but there is still beauty in age and I am now convinced that beauty is relative. Beauty is something that can change in an instant upon meeting someone, or it can be slow process as we get to know someone better. It can be an evolutionary change or it can rescind as the outward beauty becomes revoked by an unattractive disposition. Whichever the alteration may be the fact remains beauty is relative.
One day Savannah was the influence I usually need at such times and taught me a great lesson on bravery. She had hurt a friend’s feelings at school and I urged her to make amends. The next day, she courageously apologized. Her act made me contemplate my relationship with this so called neighbor. As I summoned up the courage to approach and deposit a friendly smile her way, I wondered how this gesture would be received. Could such a woman ever accept my friendship?
I walked outside wishing for the bravery of an 8 year old and smiled my warmest smile; pointing it directly at her dark gloomy face. Seemingly she accepted the smile, so I intrepidly said a friendly “Hello!” Which proceeded with a “How are you?” I immediately saw something come upon her face that I had yet to see in all the time we had lived here. A smile!
Ever since that day of breaking clouds, our relationship has continued to flourish into a friendly acquaintance. It wasn’t until today though that I noticed something unusual occur. As I stood speaking to her, she commented on her meeting my mother. She spoke of how beautiful my mother was. As she spoke I couldn’t help but examine her own beauty. This was when I truly realized how contingent beauty really is. The contingency is based on how their character radiates out to other people. Some would call this inward beauty. This is a principle I had been taught all my life. It is the inward beauty that counts; it can alter your countenance. But I have never actually witnessed the physical transformation it can make. Her dark lines had diminished. Her wrinkles were fewer and far between. Not only had her countenance changed, but she had literally become more beautiful.
Now the reality is no matter how incredible we are as a person the aging process won’t be hindered, but there is still beauty in age and I am now convinced that beauty is relative. Beauty is something that can change in an instant upon meeting someone, or it can be slow process as we get to know someone better. It can be an evolutionary change or it can rescind as the outward beauty becomes revoked by an unattractive disposition. Whichever the alteration may be the fact remains beauty is relative.
1 comments:
I agree and hope that I can age nicely...you know...not become cranky and immovable! I am so happy for you that your parents were able to visit. I love that. You have so many places to visit and doing it with parents makes it all so much better!
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