Tish and I were walking together on the beach last week. She stopped to look out at the water so I did, too. She put her hand in mine, looked up at me and said, “Mom, am I pretty?”
Luckily, I’d been thinking about that word for a couple of decades, so I was ready.
I sat Tish down in the sand, took a deep breath, and dove in.
“I think you’re pretty, Tish. I think you are very, very pretty. But pretty is a weak word, because it means different things to everyone. You really don’t have much control over whether folks think you’re pretty or not. Spending a lot of time asking the world if you’re pretty – it’s just not a strong position to take. You will have to keep changing yourself for everyone you meet, and eventually you won’t know who you are. I know because I used to think pretty was really important, so I felt confused and weak a lot.
What I want you to be, Tish, is beautiful. Beautiful means “full of beauty.” Beautiful is not about the appearance of your outsides- beautiful is about what you’re made of. Beautiful women are women who spend time discovering what they love – what sings to them –what their idea of beauty on this Earth is. Then they make time each day to fill themselves up with that beauty. They know themselves well enough to know what they love, and they love themselves enough to fill up with a little of their particular kind of beauty each day.
That’s why we’re here today, honey. I was feeling a little empty this afternoon and so I brought you here to the beach to fill myself back up with beauty. This place is beauty to me. So I come here to fill up with the Gulf of Mexico. With the sound of the waves rolling in and the sight of the pelicans fishing and the feel of the cool sand on my feet. When I leave here I feel really beautiful. And I brought you with me because you are beauty to me, too, Tish. When you smile at me – I am beautiful .
Many of the things you see me do each day, honey – I do them to be beautiful.
It’s why I take time out to spend with good friends.
It’s why I read and look at art and always have that music I love playing in the house.
It’s why I light candles in every room.
It’s why I watch you climbing those Banyan trees in the front yard.
It’s why I roll around on the floor with Theo and Meadow and why I’m always smelling the top of your head.
It’s why I drag you to sunset and to church every week.
I’m just filling up with beauty- because I want to be beautiful.
Tish, you will meet plenty of people in your life who are pretty but haven’t yet taken the time to be beautiful. They will have the right look for the times- but they will not glow. Beautiful women glow. When you are with a beautiful woman you will not so much notice her hair or skin or body or clothes – because you’ll be distracted by the way she makes you feel. She will be so full of beauty that you will feel some spill onto you. You’ll feel warm and safe and curious around her. Her eyes will twinkle a little and she’ll look at you really closely, Tish- because beautiful, wise women know that the quickest way to fill up with beauty is to soak in another human being. Other people are beauty, beauty, beauty. So you will notice that the most beautiful women take their time with other people. They are just filling up.
Women who are concerned with being pretty think about what they look like, but women who are concerned with being beautiful think about what they are looking at. They are taking it all in. They are taking in the whole beautiful world and making all that beauty theirs to give away to others.
Does that make any sense, baby?”
And Tish said, “I think so. It’s like, when you first wake up, mom. You look really,really bad. Your hair is messy and your face looks weird. But when you see me, your eyes get twinkly. Is that because you think I’m beauty?”
“Yes, baby. I’m filling up with you. Because I want to be beautiful.”
*********
Friends – in 2014 let us decide to be beautiful women. Let us take the time to discover what in this world is beauty to us – and fill up with it daily.
Being beautiful is a strong position to take. 
Love and Peace and Beauty for all-
G
Author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller LOVE WARRIOR — ORDER HERE
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133 Comments
I like the title! It makes me wonder. Thank you for posting!
I’m from Indonesia, this blog reminds me of my sister, by reading your article, it makes me remember her, lots of memories and stories are almost the same, thank you, this blog makes me never forget my little one
Really good post. Thank you.
Thank you for the advice.
I love this and is as important as ever!! Thanks so much beloved Glennon.
“It’s like when you wake up ….your face looks weird” LOVE THIS!! Wonderful reflection of what beauty truly is.
I love everything about this! Thank you. I love the vision of filling up with beauty!
I just read this beautiful comment of mother and daughter….I want to tell my 14 year old daughter these same words …. Its not whats on the outside that makes you special its whats inside. I never felt beautiful enough or smart enough on the inside so I thought I better look good on the outside….now that I’m older I see its what’s in your heart and how you love ans treat people is what really mattters not what you wear or how much money you have. I wish people could be kinder to each other cause jealously can break a person’s heart and soul. This is how I feel broken. Tell the people who matter to you you love them everyday so they know they are beautiful inside.
This is such a good article. My mom tells me that we should share our candle light with everyone. Have you ever used a lit candle to light another one? That’s what my mom means. Give out beauty and kindness. Share it with others. And you give an equal amount to others, but you have none taken from you.