beauty

To Whom Are You Beautiful

Backstory

Scientists use a mathematical equation to measure facial beauty. It’s called the Golden Ratio. It stands at odds with the premise that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” as proposed by author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford in 1878. For over a hundred years, Margaret’s insight has held true, as this story confirms.

To Whom Are You Beautiful?

I heard a wife tell her husband, “If I could give you one gift in life, I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes. Only then would you realize how special you are to me.”

It truly is a gift to be seen through the eyes of love. We are beautiful, in the eyes of those who love us. And if we’re lucky, that person tells us often how much we are loved and cherished, and how beautiful we are – man or woman.

I so enjoy when you can see, just by looking at them, how much a couple care about each other. It is particularly true when they have been together for a long time.

At a recent community meeting, someone announced that a couple were celebrating their 45^th wedding anniversary. The husband stood up and added, “And I am still in love with her!” The spontaneous announcement was so touching, as his bride blushed at the public attention.

But he didn’t even need to say it out loud. You could tell by the loving way he treated her, that she was still that beautiful, flirtatious young woman who had captured his heart so many decades ago. That’s what HE saw when he looked at her, regardless of the whitened hair and wobbly knees that had become today’s reality.

To see them together was to believe in love all over again.

P.S. I love to see an older couple holding hands. It communicates love, trust, and empathy. Both parties enjoy a sense of belonging and security.

Reaching out your hand can benefit those around you too. People can feel alone even when in the presence of others. Touching or holding the hand of another conveys immediate, positive physical feedback. It interrupts the feeling of loneliness and replaces it with a sense of acceptance and understanding.

Be generous in reaching out your hand to touch or hold the hands of those around you.

[Show #458]

White Orchids

Back Story

We are surrounded with miracles. Many of them are taken for granted. Others capture our attention and we find ourselves mesmerized. That’s what happened here.

White Orchids

At the Farmers Market, I purchased a fresh cut spray of white orchids. Put them in the turquoise Fenton vase that has been gracing the dining room table for weeks since I won it out of the hands of the other bidders at an auction.

The vase had been giving us such pleasure, with its round sculpture and graceful scallops. The glass is intriguingly cut to clear in oval designs. It was really pretty, all by itself.

But with the orchids added, the two came alive with the beauty created by nature and by man. It was impossible not to smile every time you pass by. So fresh, bold and inspiring.

Sort of like passing by a cherished photo of grandchildren or good friends. You just HAVE to stop and look and remember some event or occasion when you were so glad they were in your life.

I’m told that if I treat them right, the orchids will last a good three weeks. Then, like most good things, they will become a lovely memory. Then we’ll look for some new gifts of Mother Nature and start the process of enjoyment all over again.

A very small thing – drawing enjoyment out of looking at flowers in a vase. But then life is made beautiful by the daily strings of just such small enjoyments.

P.S.

The sadness of months in the last year have shrouded many everyday enjoyments. Let’s let the summer sun bring back the happiness.

[Show #428]

One Gift

Backstory – One Gift

We were talking about beauty. Standard wisdom is that beauty fades. Actually, it depends on what you consider beautiful. And that depends on whether your eyes are on something or someone who is loved or simply seen. This story was the result of that reflection.

Consider This Show – One Gift

Click to listen or follow below to read.

To Whom Are You Beautiful? – #458

I heard a wife tell her husband, “If I could give you one gift in life, I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes. Only then would you realize how special you are to me.”

I so enjoy when you can see, just by looking at them, how much a couple care about each other. It is particularly true when they have been together for a long time.

At a recent community meeting, someone announced that a couple was celebrating their 45^th wedding anniversary. The husband stood up and added, “And I am still in love with her!” The spontaneous announcement was so touching, as his bride blushed at the public attention.

To see them together was to believe in love all over again.

[Show #458]