Finding Beauty – Beauty of Woman #BOAW15

It has been a loooooong time since I have written anything, including content for my blog. *dusts off cobwebs*

As many of you know, my writing has taken a back seat to my new and VERY important job—motherhood. Say HELLO to my little dude—well, to his feet, now almost nine months old.

Toes!!

And while I do miss writing, I can’t dedicate much time to my craft. I’ve had tons of ideas (thank goodness for notebooks), but have been looking for the perfect opportunity (and time) to stick my toes back into the shallow end and put pen to paper. Yes; I still handwrite everything prior to tapping the keyboard with my fingertips… I’m old school like that.

When I read August was launching the 4^th annual Beauty of a Woman Blogfest, I knew the time had finally arrived.

Why now?

Because I have something to say. I know – people who know me say this is nothing out of the ordinary.

But seriously.

My perspective on a woman’s beauty has changed. Maybe not so much changed, but grown by leaps and bounds. I’ve always seen the beauty, both internally and externally of a woman. However, having undergone the many changes I have the past sixteen months, I now have a deeper appreciation… a deeper understanding… and a deeper love—for myself and other women.

By definition, beauty is the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations, a meaningful design or platform, or something else.

So what is beauty to me? Or better yet, what makes a woman beautiful? Well, there’s the obvious that most everyone associates to the word beauty—aesthetics. And yes; aesthetically, all women are beautiful—all shapes and sizes. Women are also beautiful by the kindness they extend to others and as reflected by the confidence they emit. There’s also strength, perseverance, and humility…

Here’s the truth—WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL. ALL WOMEN!

The minute we think otherwise, we have a problem.

Sure, I’ve thought of myself as beautiful at times in my life. Lord knows I have the confidence necessary to hold my head up high. But only recently have I truly felt beautiful, and it’s not because of my physical appearance. AT ALL.

Matter of fact, I’m the largest I’ve ever been in my life (yeah; pregnancy weight DOES NOT just come off, not even when breastfeeding) with arguably the worst complexion I have ever had (thank you adult-onset rosacea, courtesy of… you guessed it… my pregnancy).

I am beautiful because of my strength and perseverance. I have been blessed; but like all others, I have faced a few curve balls while standing at the home plate of life. When I could have given up and felt sorry for myself, I instead took a deep breath and kept motorin’, searching for the positives.

Everything we encounter, especially the detours, makes us stronger. Our ability to push through makes us beautiful.

My epiphany came with pregnancy, the birth of my son, and these early stages of motherhood—none of which was a piece of cake—not for me. I watched my body change (pregnant women do not always glow); I experienced health scares (during my forty weeks, hours before my son graced us with his presence, and postpartum); I pushed, literally, through a two and a half day labor… over fifty hours of a pressure and pain I still to this day can’t describe to others; and I have struggled with things since, thanks to my constant state of exhaustion.

But you know what? I am beautiful. I’m beautiful despite my size 12 clothes being tight (I can’t believe I just “said” my size out loud). I’m beautiful despite the permanent black circles under my eyes. I’m beautiful despite my face looking like I stayed out in the sun too long with big ole sunshades covering my eyes… a red raccoon if you will.

Now, not all women are mothers and that’s okay. Heck, I didn’t even know I wanted to be a mother until my 36^th year on this earth. Motherhood is not for everyone and does not define us as women. All women are just as strong and beautiful due to the unique situations in their lives, regardless of their desire to be or not to be a mother. However, in my instance, motherhood is what opened my eyes to what makes me beautiful… to what makes my mother beautiful… my grandmother, aunts, cousins, friends… etc.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this…

Women make it their job to persevere. Through our drive and our strength, we find a way. We may not feel confident or believe ourselves to be beautiful every day, BUT WE ARE.

What’s the saying?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

We simply must believe it ourselves.

Let’s stop restricting beauty to the size zero models strutting down the catwalks. Instead, let’s focus on finding the strength both internally and externally to claim our own beauty. Embrace our confidence. Demand respect. And don’t knock others.

Oh, yes… and smile.

You’re beautiful.

Beautiful artwork courtesy of the VERY beautiful Renée A. Schuls-Jacobson

PS.  Stop by August’s Blogfest page to participate in #BOAW15 fun!

*****

Tiffany A. White is the author of the YA mystery Football Sweetheart series available on Kindle and Nook.  She is available for contact via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or via email at tiffany {at} tiffanyawhite {dot} com.