you are so beautiful!

 

 "I stand on the shoulders of the women of my past and hope that I’ve honored their strength and compassion. I stand together with all women knowing that our voices united will never be silenced. I stand in gratitude of the young amazing women who will continue to be true to themselves and promote our human healing!
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY ♥" (special thanks to my FB friend, PJ.....hugs to you for being MY inspiration!)


 Ah, March...when thoughts turn from cold, dreary days of winter to warm, green sunny days filled with planting, renewal and rebirth. Living in Minnesota, I get a bit jealous of the rest of the country who brag about daffodils and crocuses popping from the earth. Popping? I don't hear any popping! This season we have about one foot of snow on the ground with piles at least three feet high surrounding us. I need to practice patience.

It can be so easy to get into the dreariness of days that bring about negative thoughts. This is when I realize in my own life, that I must do something to counter those thoughts, something that does NOT include ME! Not to say that there is something wrong with getting a manicure or shopping for new clothes, but when your closets are already bursting with clothes that you bought LAST year and still haven't worn more than once...maybe this is not such a good idea. Boat shows, home and garden shows, auto shows, these things are all distractions from the icky weather...but how good do you feel once you have that product? After awhile, it is back to the same old, same old...and you are looking for yet another distraction to salve your soul.

On today's news, there were a group of young, college age girls who are starting  a group called Operation Beautiful, or OB. Their goal? To teach other girls/women that one does NOT need a face full of makeup to make a difference in the world. Inspired by Katie Couric's talk show, "Katie," (Thanks, Katie!) they are empowering women to feel good about themselves even as they help others.

I wrote a blog post about this topic almost five weeks ago, how society sets themselves on how well they look, going to massive lengths to "prove" they have what it takes to be beautiful. I will say it again: it isn't the makeup or plastic surgery that makes a woman beautiful. I have seen many "fake" women who are so shallow in character that no amount of breast enlargements or makeup will elevate them to saintly status. I also look at women who have made a difference in our world, (think Mother Teresa, for example, Eleanor Roosevelt is another!) who relied solely on the purity of their hearts to inspire others.

Would you say Mother Teresa was ugly? I think her beauty from the inside radiated throughout her outside. Oh, if only I could have an aura like that!!!

True beauty is like a late winter day.....it is so easy to be uninspired by dull, dirty snow piles and chilly breezes. Look deeper...look to what is in store for you just a few weeks down the road...beauty IS everywhere, you only need to appreciate what you see right now! And to do that, you need to extend yourself to be a positive influence in the life of another. I have always believed that I can't help EVERYONE....but....if I can help only one...and that person goes on to help another...and so on, why, think of how happy the world may be!
Are you the one to make a difference? Of course you can!