[talk: You're Beautiful.]

I had a photoshoot downtown yesterday.

I never go downtown during the day ... my day is scheduled for the most part with some kind of exercise regime, taking kids here or there, picking them up from here or there, meal planning, grocery shopping - I mean, you know how it goes.  Time is a sacred thing to us moms ... so driving downtown?  Doesn't happen.

But yesterday I had a client request a "cityscape" for her photos, so down I went.  And it was a strange thing, walking those streets during the day.  Everywhere - I mean EVERYwhere - there were beautiful people.  Dressed up people, well put-together people ... I actually didn't get the memo on that *grin*.  So I was there in my photo-garb, dressed for rain and mud puddles.  Skinny jeans and Hunter gum boots ... a little underdressed to everyone else ... 

As I was driving home, I was thinking about things that are really important.  Like - what people will remember of me.  I think, when it all comes down to it, we all want to be remembered ... we don't want to be forgotten.  We want to be remembered for good things ... even if you recently met someone who you may never see again, most people would like to think they made a good impression.  Like, if that person bumped into one of your friends, they'd say, "oh - I met so-and-so ... wow.  They're super nice," or a super mom, or super friendly, super smart, super funny ... you get the idea.  I mean - people don't care what EVERY one thinks, but it's nice to be thought of in a good way, no?

And if you asked someone what was MOST important to them to be remembered by, one may answer about their spirituality, their strong marriage or fantastic parenting ... maybe their work ethic or kindness.

Where am I going with all of this?

Well ... where does beauty come into it?

People want to be beautiful - but really, when it comes down to it, people don't really care about it in the end.  The older you get, the more obvious it is that beauty really IS fleeting and the definition of beauty actually changes.  People become more beautiful when you know who they are, what they stand for, what their heart is. 

I think that my friends are far more beautiful now, compared to 10 years ago.  I have a lovely aunt who often tells me that women are far more beautiful in their mid 30s than they ever were in their 20s.  What a great aunt she is to say such a thing *grin*.

So - if it really doesn't matter, is it just society that spurns us to try and reach unobtainable beauty?

I don't think so ... 

There's a book out there called "Captivating".  I love this book.  It talks about how after creating man, creation was pretty much completed - but something was missing, God's piece-de-resistance, so to speak.  Then God created woman, the most incredible, beautiful creation of all (how's THAT for a pick-me-up?).  The book talks about how the creation of woman completed God's own character in His creation; how God desires to be seen as lovely, as beautiful, as cherished.

We sing it in church all the time ... "Lord, You're beautiful", "beautiful One I love, beautiful One I adore ..." .  God sees value in beauty - but how HE sees beauty is not a superficial, outward kind of beauty.  But it's beauty all the same.  If God desires to be beautiful, and he created us in His image - than I would say our desire to be beautiful is a God inspired, God planned thing.

So after walking the streets of downtown, bumping into all sorts of beautiful people, I met up with my clients and took some of my most favourite photographs to date.  It was a photoshoot of a granddaughter and her 90 year old grandmother.  

And I don't know about you - but I see nothing but beauty in her face.  There's wisdom, there's joy, there's experience and heartache ... there's life.  And I think that living a life worth living is really, true beauty.

So why do women want to be outwardly beautiful as well as inwardly?  Because that's how God made us, pure and simple.  Just ask my 1yr old little girl who beams when you tell her she's lovely, or sticks her newly painted toes in your face to get a compliment ... beauty is a God breathed characteristic.

I hope today, that someone tells you that you're beautiful.  Because you are.  And I'm not just saying that ... I'm not just being whatever about it ... you are.  I am.

Now go live the best life you can today :-).

Have a great one!

(oh ... and I've failed to mention that there are a few new blogposts at my RedHanded Photography blog.  One was a baby photoshoot, one was a store photoshoot and one was my sis-in-law's bday party.  Would love you to check 'em out *smile*.  And I'll let you know when grandma and granddaughter's pics are up!!)