Real Beauty

Hello, my name is Andria Wooten, I am fifteen and I have grown up hearing this story most of my life.

Today I will be writing one of my favorite parts of this book, I will be covering the gift of beauty. Enjoy!

“Beauty: May your deeds reflect its depth.”

Beautiful.

Beautiful is a word we use to describe something appealing and sought after. I think that in our culture especially we look at beauty in the wrong light. What comes to mind when I say beautiful? Maybe your favorite actor or model, a flower, or drawing. But that is only a small part of what beauty really is. We hold beauty on a leash, not letting it live to its full capacity. Beauty is so much more than looks-beauty lies inside of each and every one of us.

I remember a winter or two ago. I was getting ready to leave after church, and a woman that I knew came up to me. She asked if I liked her coat? A little confused I replied and told her that I did. She began to take her coat off, I watched her not quite catching on to what she had in mind. She took off her coat and held it out. She began to tell me that in the middle of the church service God had begun to speak to her and He told her to give me her coat-that it would bless me if she did. He was right. I’ll never forget her, or that day. I couldn’t believe it. Someone was giving me their coat right off their back, and the raw truth hit me right as she handed it over and helped me slip my arms through its long silky sleeves. When I finally got the coat on, I couldn’t help but think, and still can’t help to think, that truly this is a beautiful person. Now someone may read this and think, why would you give some random teen girl a coat? She probably won’t even wear it. That’s weird. But that’s probably what she was thinking too. God knew though. She listened, I was touched, and I hope you are too.

I pray that this Christmas you will see through the shimmering lights and decor. That you will seek and find the true beauty which lies inside of all of us. That you will show the world what true beauty is through your actions, by the way you live, and how you treat others.

I pray that we all learn what true beauty is and may we all make the world a more beautiful place.