I saw this sign posted in front of a home for sale one day and thought, "I WANT A SIGN LIKE THAT!" A bumper sticker...a name-tag...SOMETHING! It sounds silly, but I swear that house actually stood a little straighter...a little more confident. And it was a beautiful house on the outside as well, but that didn't stop the seller from inviting the world to look on the inside, where they would actually live every day.
Where they would be comfortable and safe; where they would love and be loved; where they would be vulnerable, and creative, and cleansed and fed. Where they would be naked and real and at "home" with their families. It was an invitation to go past what we see on the outside and step inside, where the good stuff is!
I thought it was a brilliant metaphor for how we present ourselves in the world. How many of us would be bold enough to boast an "I'M GORGEOUS INSIDE" sign? At first thought, it sounds arrogant or conceited, but in reality, it requires a great deal of humility to invite others to see us on the inside...to be that real and willing to own the beauty of ALL of it. The truth is, we ARE gorgeous inside...in all of our humanness and realness, but the "signs" we tend to drag around more often say things like, "NEEDS WORK", or "REDUCED TO SELL", reflecting our Self-judgments rather than celebrating our true beauty!
So, since that day, I decided to wear a virtual "I'M GORGEOUS INSIDE" sign around my neck...and I do believe I've walked a little taller, been a little kinder, and smiled a whole lot more!
2 comments:
GREAT stuff, Kate! You're so right...this is the PERFECT metaphor. I am helping someone close to me go through some tough times, and I find myself reminding her, again and again, of the beauty and perfection within the sometimes tortured and not-so-pretty exterior. If it takes a sign to help us have a more compassionate attitude toward one another, then let's start painting!
I came across the same sign here in St. Louis, and am delighted to finds someone who had a similar thought process and reaction. I found your blog, in fact, by Googling "I'm Gorgeous Inside." My emphasis of the metaphorical message is -- strive to become gorgeous on the inside, rather than succumbing to societal pressure to focus on externalities. With more time, I hope to explore more of your blog. Thanks so much for the terrific message, Kate.
Ze'ev
St. Louis, MO
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