Random musings...Beauty...

Bild von Florin Radu auf Pixabay

I learned as a young man that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, which basically means that it's subjective. Everything we observe is observed through the filter of preference, and I would suggest that this preference is learned, especially when it comes to observing our fellow human beings. The beauty industry is a testament to just that. But, on a more, I hope, objective note, I think that beauty comes in at least two different forms.

The most obvious beauty is the external beauty. It's the first impression we get when seeing a prospective companion. The not so obvious beauty is the beauty that seems to have it's source in the heart. Interesting enough, each form of beauty can exist independent of the other.

My mom used to say that beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes straight to the bone. Well, when you finally get to meet that beautiful person who has been on your mind for a while now, and discover that the person's personality leaves you wanting, then you must be experiencing the ugly that goes straight to the bone.

A beautiful heart will magnify a person's external beauty, but not spontaneously. It takes time, and possibly commitment, to appreciate that internal beauty.

It seems to me that external beauty is sexy, whereas internal beauty is lovable. The external doesn't serve our need for a lasting partnership, and the internal doesn't server our need of spontaneous attraction. That, it seems, is why beauty must necessarily be subjective. It's how nature insures that all human genes have a way to propagate. It seems to be a "no person left behind" thing.

Just random musings...