Thinking About Beauty
This week is Social Media Week here in Chicago. Had to start the week off with a blog before I head over to the Merchandise Mart to pick up my pass and hit my first session of a solid week of Social Media talk for myself.So this morning I had a short exchange with a friend that got me thinking about beauty. Anyone who knows me knows that my mind is constantly spinning off into tangents. Couple that with my memory issues, and within 5 minutes, I have no idea where I started.But first, I was thinking about the person I was talking to. From there, I started thinking abstractly about beauty. Often, when we think of "beauty", for many of us, a picture of a person pops into our head. I find this unfortunate, because beauty has so many facets. I think we often hear media talk about "beauty" as it pertains to a person, that we often forget about things like the beauty of the human spirit.I'm a person who loves beauty in all its facets. On Friday, I went to a fundraiser. At the fundraiser, there were pictures from an exhibit about Afghanistan. I mentioned to a woman that they were fabulous pictures, but I've seen very few pictures that actually do Afghanistan justice...it is an absolutely beautiful country.
"When people talk about Afghanistan, I don't think I've ever heard them refer to the beauty of the place."
It is beautiful. Perhaps that fact escapes them...perhaps it just never comes up. But that's one of the things that popped into my mind as I was driving in the sun of this beautiful Monday morning.From there, I started thinking about all the beautiful people that I have in my life, and I get to spend time with. Whenever I think about beautiful people, the first person who usually comes to mind is my dear friend Beena. Whenever I talk about Beena, I always say "...aside from being a physically beautiful woman, she has one of the most beautiful souls that I've ever encountered." I'm fortunate that I have a lot of friends like that in my life.Then my mind wandered to all of the beautiful people that I got to spend my weekend with. This Saturday, I went out to watch the fights. My friend Veronica was there, who is beautiful inside and out, and although I don't think we could be more different, and sometimes I want to throttle her, my life is enlightened by the beauty she brings to my life. Then there was Phil, whom I've always appreciated for the beauty of his honesty. He has no problem separating the wheat from the chaff, and that is exactly how and why we become friends...and with him was his girlfriend Karina, who is a very physically beautiful young lady, and was an absolute delight to chat with. Then there was Daniel and his female friend. Daniel is a beautiful soul with a keen eye for social justice, and human rights. I love people who think so far above and beyond themselves. I find selflessness very beautiful. And then on both Saturday and Sunday evening was my friend Karina. A new friend; I'm having the pleasure of meeting and getting to know a new friend who brings a new shade of beauty to my life.On Sunday I got to train Jiu Jitsu...and while I was on a mat getting beat up by a roomful of alpha gorillas and savages...they are all beautiful people. The caliber of character I encounter at training is the reason I've remained there for the entirety of my Jiu Jitsu journey, and why I intend to stay there.And then of course, is the woman whose conversation sparked this entry, Ophelia. While I don't know her very well, I do know that she is very sassy, and endearing, wrapped in a visage of exceptionally exquisite beauty.My friends often tease me by saying "You think everyone is beautiful" or "You think every girl is cute". And yes, that is true...because they are. Who am I to say that someone isn't beautiful...or this person is less beautiful than another. My views of beauty certainly don't jive with the popular notions of beauty...but I"m totally ok with that. I know I get that from my father. I rarely recall him calling any woman anything other than beautiful. The first thing he'd say to any of my friends was "Aren't you the cutest thing?" He appreciated beauty, in all its facets. That's mad hip.And of course you have the sexual aspects to it all as well. Being in the presence of a beautiful woman is like...to me...it's like being in the rays of the sun on a beautiful spring day. It makes you feel...hmm...wow, I don't know the word for it. I suppose it's like sitting in a bathtub that's just the right temperature. But yeah, it makes you feel alive. When I first met Ophelia, I was like "Wow...Umm....wow" and then pretty much avoided her. Sometimes sunlight can be too intense. I dig that too.So yeah....I'm thankful for all the beautiful people in my life, as well as all of the beautiful things I get to see day in and day out. I try not to take any of those moments for granted...and I often fail, but then I have mornings like today to remind me all over again...and I guess that is a part of life.