Beautiful Character

"I have always thought that beautiful people are the people with character, who are beautiful from the inside." Kate Moss (from a Life Well Worn by Jeanne Beker)

While I was reading Jeanne Beker's new book, I had several ideas pop out that I highlighted to go back and re-read.  While I found some of the ideas no longer appealed, others still resonated.  The passage where Kate Moss talks about beauty was one those that still struck a chord.  Here is a model considered to be the epitome of physical beauty who shares she defines the word as character, and goes on to say many models are pretty, but they are not beautiful people. 

We are all surrounded by images of what the media wants us to feel beautiful is. Behind this is a whole industry vested in you personally being drawn in.  Every time I see a rich, famous woman who mostly likely has a home gym, a personal trainer, someone to make sure they eat healthy, has spa treatments regularly and often visits a skin care professional held up as a role model for me to follow, I want to throw up. 

First of all, many of us don't have the time and money for all that self-care.  We fit in what we can and what calls us. But I would rather take another exciting vacation to foreign ports than pay to go under the knife.  And I truly suck at routines of any kind.  So it shows.  I am aging.  That doesn't always make me happy, but my choices are driven by my priorities. 

And I agree with Kate. When I was doing in-person interviews before COVID, I wasn't drawn to interview "celebrities" and "beautiful" people held up in the media as those worthy.  Instead I noticed the interesting people. They were full of life and had unique characters. They spoke with passion and honesty.  Most had chosen a path that was a little out of the norm, to look at things through a different lens.  Some did fit the media definition of celebrity and/or physical beauty, but that wasn't what led me to interview them.

Every time I sat and listened to someone new share about their life, I learned. Often I would get goosebumps. I would head home inspired by how beautiful the diversity of life is.  No clones for me either in looks or life journeys. I love being surprised and educated. I love quirky.  I love unexpected. Almost every interview led me to revisit my choices to see if I was allowing any outside influences to hold me back.  

Looking back on my career, I met hundreds of beautiful people. Each was a unique character and was dancing to the beat of their own inner drum.  Not once did I ever consider if their body matched societal standards of beauty. I didn't see their hairstyle, how they were dressed, or whether their nails were manicured.  It was their character, their soul, their aura that my eyes landed on. And I found each of them stunningly beautiful. 

Well said Kate moss. I agree. For me, while appreciate the physical expression of beauty, it is the character that emanates from within that most draws my eye. To me, that is true beauty.