EVEN IN A BARREN LIFELESS DESERT, WE FIND BREATHTAKING BEAUTY. HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN NOT SEE THE SAME IN OUR FELLOW MAN? SO MANY ARE SO OBSESSED WITH OUTER BEAUTY THAT THEY CAN NOT SEE THE BEAUTY WITHIN. HOW CAN THOSE THAT ARE TORMENTED IN ANY WAY FEEL LOVED AND ACCEPTED BY SOCIETY WHEN OUR MINDS ARE TRAINED TO SHUN THE UGLY OR THAT WHICH WE DEEM AS DIFFERENT? SO MANY PEOPLE JUDGE OTHERS BY THEIR APPEARANCE NEVER GIVING THAT PERSON THE BENEFIT OF A DOUBT AND GETTING TO KNOW THAT PERSON FOR WHOM THEY TRULY ARE. MY POINT IS NOT ABOUT HOW WE PERCEIVE OURSELVES. INDEED NO MATTER HOW WE LOOK PHYSICALLY WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE CONFIDENT IN OURSELVES. YET IT IS THE STRUGGLE TO APPEASE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY THAT OUR MINDS TELL US WILL NOT ACCEPT US FOR WHO WE ARE THAT DRIVES THE WEAK INTO THOUGHTS OF SELF-HATE AND FEELING UNACCEPTABLE IN SOCIETY. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT YOUR PAINFUL WORDS ALONE COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF A LIFE? THOSE OF YOU THAT GOT TO KNOW ME FOR ME NO LONGER NOTICED THE PROFILE PICTURE I USED. MY POINT IS A PERSON COULD LOOK LIKE THE DEVIL AND IN REALITY BE AN ANGEL. WELL AT LEAST ACT LIKE ONE. IF WE WOULD GIVE THEM THIS CHANCE AND ACCEPT THEM FOR WHOM THEY ARE. PERHAPS THERE WOULD BE FEWER PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER PEOPLE THAT STRUGGLE TO FIT IN THAT ARE DROWNING IN DEPRESSION. I HAVE TRAVELED NEAR AND FAR AND CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BEAUTY IS INDEED IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. AND THE ESSENCE OF ALL MANKIND IS NOT THEIR OUTWARD APPEARANCE BUT MUCH DEEPER THAN YOU CAN SEE. THE ESSENCE OF US ALL IS OUR HEARTS AND THERE IT WILL ALWAYS BE. HOW HARD IS IT TO JUST BE NICE? BY ALL MEANS, LOOK YOUR BEST AND BE CONFIDENT IN YOURSELVES. BUT NEVER LET ANYONE TELL YOU YOUR BEST IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
SIMPLY MY THOUGHT
DEAN BUTLER
