Beauty is only skin deep
October 13, 2016
By Jisoo Lee
Special to MidlandsLife
What is beauty? The dictionary defines it as “that which is physically attractive.” And that’s true, and it’s a good thing; right? Not always. It seems as if societies and cultures, worldwide, have created a beauty-value dynamic in which women and girls feel as if they have to be outwardly beautiful to have worth. Consequently, many women wrongly believe that their physical beauty determines their value. This is not only wrong, it’s unfair.
I’m not suggesting beauty is a bad thing. But beauty is much more than simply a pretty face. There is inner beauty, and there are – as a result of that inner beauty – beautiful outward actions and behaviors.
Inner beauty brings kindness, perhaps a tear, a smile, a pleasant expressed thought to someone; whereas physical beauty – though it may be talked about in a good way – is not always remembered as being “good.” Just because a woman or a girl is physically beautiful doesn’t make her better than other women and girls who may not be. People may tend to prefer those who are physically beautiful (that’s where we get the word “attractive”), but they will soon be disappointed if the physically beautiful, preferred ones do not have true, lasting, inner beauty: The inner beauty being far more important.
Consider a celebrity. A lifelong desire for compliments and a lot of stress about how to remain pretty are exactly what the quest for physical beauty will leave. Physical beauty does not last. Inner beauty does, and it leads to a happier life, improved thoughts about oneself and others, and a deepened sense of goodness felt and experienced by others.
Physical beauty is also mistakenly associated with femininity. Again, this is wrong thinking. Physical beauty and inner beauty – as well as a woman’s femininity expressed comfortably – are what makes a person truly attractive.
So given the choice between a pretty face and pretty heart; always choose the pretty heart.
– Ten-year-old Jisoo Lee is a 5th Grade “Quest” (advanced placement program) student at Polo Road Elementary School. She is also a creative-writing student at the Northeast (Columbia) Arts Academy.
