How Being You Saves the World
She belted it out from the deepest places within her. It was raw, honest, and beautiful.
“It’s never enough, never enough.... for me. Never, never enough.”
Those words from The Greatest Showman soundtrack were written to be sung with passion and my four-year-old niece was certainly doing it justice. As she sang, she paid no heed to the world’s “beauty standards” for this song. She didn’t care about “perfect” tempo or exact pitch; rather her heart and her truth were showcased as she confidently voiced what was authentic within her.
Her unique way of being, her heart, was what brought a distinctive and utter splendor to the song.
Light shines brightest in the dark
These days, it seems that all that is certain is uncertainty and most news we hear isn’t so good.
And, yet, in the midst of stark realities and bleak statistics, somehow light endures.
Not only is there light, but it’s blindingly beautiful at times.
When stretched to its limits, the human spirit somehow shows strength, perseverance, and goodness. There seems to be an eternal hope, peace, and love that resides deep within us despite our circumstances.
And one of the most beautiful things about humanity is our diverse splendor. How those eternal things, that eternal light, shines through us all in unique ways. We are all conduits of it as we embody our true selves.
Like a brilliant light shines through a multi-faceted diamond, the beauty of God expresses itself through each one of us. It’s our truest self, our truest destiny.
Like the musicians who have been born to bring the mystery of beauty through song. And when they can’t do it in their usual ways, they innovate and broadcast live concerts on social media. Yo-Yo Ma, Andrew Lloyd Weber, and so many others. It’s as though they recognize the beauty they know must be shared. It’s bursting forth from within them, it’s just a part of who they are.
The Mystery keeps flowing despite the darkness.
Like the nurses with bruised faces who embody care and compassion. Like Brene Brown who now hosts a weekly church service of sorts. Or like the home bound Italians who infuse hope into their streets and courtyards through unison song.
And, so, the news may not be good. That is so often the order of the world. It always has been. And some days and seasons like this may look starker.
But in the midst of it all, artists and musicians and doctors and parents can’t help but bring their Light into the world. It’s persistent and unwavering. Love endures.
It’s as though they know that their unique gifting is made complete when it brings goodness and beauty to the lives of others.
And, so, we each have a song to sing in the world, a unique way to reflect a greater Light.
And though the world may try to define the rules of beauty, what sort of face or waistline or complexion is beautiful or what “flawless” or “desirable” looks like, beauty is actually much wilder than that. It was never meant to fit into a box or be imprisoned by the rules of aesthetic perfection.
We are eternal beings with souls and gifts and a beauty that cannot be contained by cultural boxes. If anything, the boxes for beauty that tell us we should all look the same so often distract our minds and hearts from cultivating and realizing the true beauty that is in us and all around us.
And what the world needs now, what it’s always needed, is an outpouring of true beauty. And each of us has a unique and nuanced way we can do that.
The truth is, the eternal soul has a unique and utter beauty of its own, it always has. In this time of uncertainty and change may we each have courage to sing what is true within us, to reflect the great Light that is saving the world.
Are you tired of being sold a broken brand of beauty?
The brand of beauty we are so often sold as women is way too small. It divides and dis-integrates us. I am on a mission to expand and re-discover beauty, authentic beauty. I believe beauty is the life of God at work in us and among us. Will you join me in exploring that kind of beauty?
Sign up and follow along on my journey. Let’s re-define beauty. Together.