Your Beauty...

Beauty....it's a hot button issue.  What is it that makes us beautiful?  To what standard do we hold ourselves--is that the same standard others use?  Too fat, too thin, blond, brown, short, tall etc, etc. Yikes!!

I have three daughters and four plus decades of struggle to have true acceptance of myself and all that makes me who I am.  I mention my daughters in the same sentence because this is a struggle I'd like to minimize for them.  I could say eliminate, but.....well, that's not going to happen and I am a strong believer in the value of the struggle. And, as I ponder, maybe even minimize isn't right either.  Perhaps, my job is to interpret. To guide....to lead......

The struggle has brought/is bringing me wisdom.  I find more beautiful in myself when I reflect on more than what you see.  My spirit is my strength.  It's my inner self that does not fade--in fact, as I age, I think it begins to burn brighter.  I'm no longer confined by the superficial.  No longer held to an impossible standard.  Sometimes, it's a two steps forward, one step back kind of dance, but slowly.....I'm moving forward.

This image set, God's Sight,  from Unity Stamps just speaks to me...speaks to my struggle--I still work on gentle and quiet with myself, with others. (Two steps forward, one step back)  The verse reads:  "Your Beauty should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle & quiet spirit which is of great worth all in God's sight."

 I began by stamping off the girl image first before placing it on the water color paper.  This created a lighter version of the girl and allows the verse to pop in full strength ink.  I water colored the girl, also, making sure to keep the colors muted and soft.  I used my handy little Janome machine to stitch a simple frame around the image.

It is all of great worth in God's sight....embrace the struggle--
Be Awesome--Jane