Friday, August 12, 2011

Beauty...


Today I met a friend and I noticed she hadn't shaved.  So I asked why she wasn't shaving (note: this is a friend that I only see once a year or less so it's totally normal that I wouldn't know this).

She told me that she realized that if she didn't shave for a few days she would start to feel very uncomfortable around people, almost ashamed.  And that she felt this wasn't right, that it's a normal part of our body and should not be a shame feature when you don't shave.

So she decided to stop shaving all together.  And she likes it.  And her husband likes it.

And I started thinking, I don't shave for days at a time (because I am a mother of two small boys and shaving takes time) and it maybe sort of bothers me if someone were to notice, but I really don't care anymore.  Maybe it's the whole lack of modesty that comes with motherhood.  Or not modesty so much as caring about what other people think!  Spit up on my shirt? Hey, it's clean enough to wear to the store!

But when I got home I realized.  I haven't seen these friends in awhile and for this occasion?  I put on makeup.  There weren't even any pictures taken, but I put on makeup.

I'm not the kind of girl that wears makeup all the time or even very frequently, but I've noticed that lately, I feel the need to wear it more often.  To church, even just a day when I know I'm going to be out around town, and especially for special occasions (my brother's wedding!).

I've never felt particularly ugly when NOT wearing makeup, but I have also noticed that I get many more comments (nice ones) when I DO wear makeup.  And I'm not a cake-it-on girl so it's hard to tell I'm wearing much usually.

I wonder if it's because I'm now past 30 and I realize I may not look as lovely and glowy as I did when I was 18.  Or if it's because I realize that people do look at the appearance and it can make a difference in what they think of you.  I want to be thought well of, but I don't really want it to be because of what I look like.  I want it to be because of who I am.  I want to be beautiful that way.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; 
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  
~Proverbs 31:30

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in?

9 comments:

  1. Yes, "I want to be beautiful in that way..." I am agreeing with you in that!

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  2. It can be so hard in this world and culture to avoid the beauty trap.

    However, makeup does cover up the dark circles that we get because we've been up all night or are just not getting enough rest. Then, we appear to be more refreshed. That may be what folks are commenting on.

    But I do agree. I want to be beautiful because of who I am and how God made me.
    Nicely put.

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  3. natural beauty is the best... I'm guessing that is what you are blessed with :-)

    I wrote about beautiful feet here: BEAUTIFUL FEET BLOG POST:

    http://ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com/2011/08/beautiful-feet.html

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  4. Anonymous9:28 AM

    Sometimes we tend to fret about what others think of us. More important to be concerned about what God thinks of us.

    I once heard this: We are not what we think we are, nor what others think we are, but often fall into this trap : we are what WE THINK others think we are! And that may not be true at all.

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  5. It's hard to draw the line between people-pleasing and caring for oneself.
    Thanks for this post.

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  6. Anonymous9:22 AM

    YAY for not shaving!!! Such a fan and so freeing! As for the make-up; I find myself doing the same thing since I hardly wear it and I get compliments when I do. Part of me feels good when I get compliments and part of me wants to roll my eyes. It's the "what are you so dressed up for?" comment that embarrasses me... like I look so crappy every other day. So, I guess I probably do. Oh well.

    - Angie Brionez

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  7. I liked this post a lot! One of your best five minute fridays for sure! I took time and thought my own reasoning through and the truth is that my armpit hair grosses ME out. I get negligant on shaving my legs because I am a mom. I wear makecup on ocasion because I like to feel special, and pretty. So I suppose I do things like that because I like to.

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  8. Anonymous10:11 AM

    I shave every day. Well, not my legs. I am blond so my legs can go once a week for sure.
    But I have found that since having Ivy, I no longer fret about my hair or makeup the way I did before. I guess for me 3 was the cut-off of having not enough time to worry about whether my hair is coiffed. I still tend to worry about my face, though. I have acne scarring (and am perpetually fighting acne) and that makes me self-conscious, but even then, it is rare that I put any sort of foundation to cover that up unless I know there will be photos. Unless I am taking the photos, in which case I touch up my own skin in all the pics ;)

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  9. Anonymous12:56 PM

    You are quite beautiful (makeup or no).

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