The Eye of the Beholder

I remember reading Worthless Women and the Men Who Make Them and thinking how fortunate I am to have the man I do.  He's a good man.  He works hard, he's trustworthy, he's loving.  These are all fantastic qualities that I do not take for granted.  But there is something else that sets him apart.  He makes me feel beautiful.

I once wrote about the opposite - how I had been made to feel ugly as a kid.  In that post I mentioned the first time I remember being told I was beautiful.  It's a powerful statement to hear.  There's something about it that goes deep.  It goes beyond "cute," "pretty" or even "hot."  It is the heart-longing of every woman to be found beautiful.

Darryl has spoken these words to me often.  When I'm all done up to go out.  When we are just sitting and relaxing.  When he has seen me first thing in the morning, in all my bedhead glory.  "Wow.  You're so beautiful."  Every time, his words astound me.  Some times more than others, naturally.  I'll be honest - when he I've just come in from a 2-hr. run, the words make me chuckle.  Not because I question his sincerity, but because they seem out of place, which I suppose makes me believe him all the more.

Society bombards us with their own idea of beauty.  All you have to do is stand in line at the grocery store to catch a glimpse of this.  So many women feel worthless.  Un-beautiful.  So many men gaze at these "beautiful" women, wishing that's what they had.  You know what's simply awesome?  I know for a fact that the current "most beautiful woman in the world" could walk into the room, and she wouldn't warrant more than a glance from Darryl.  She could stand right beside me, she could be completely naked, and his gaze would be locked in mine.  And he would say, "You're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."  It blows me away.  I hope that never changes.  I have no reason to believe that it will.  Not because of who I am, but because of who he is.

Every time Darryl speaks these words, I believe him a little bit more.  Not so much that I am generically beautiful, but rather that when he looks at me, he sees beauty.  Others may disagree with him - that's fine.  In fact, they should.  They should be enamoured with the beauty of their own love, if they have been granted such.  I hope my life leads others to see beauty in it, but beyond that I do not have need.  I only desire that from one person.

Yes, I am truly fortunate to have what I do, but I am not the only one.  I have seen other men look upon their wives with such adoration that it cannot go unnoticed.  He looks and sees beauty.  She feels it and gives it.  These looks speak more loudly about real love than any words ever could.  What a gift to be able to share this with others.  To be able to speak, without words, the true essence of love.

Each one of us is beautiful, for that is how we are made.

I feel beautiful.  And his words speak more beauty into my life.