Beauty Talk

A Magazine, from FFI

"He has made everything beautiful in its time." - Solomon

My thoughts have been distracted over the last few days and I'll get to the reason for that in this post. Firstly though, I've been thinking about a couple of posts by two of my favourite men bloggers (call me pc but I like to include both genders here). They've been discussing beauty. How do we decide what is or isn't beautiful? I appreciate aesthetics, but even in saying that I'm coming with my own view. There are different kinds of beauty, but I think spiritual beauty is the most desirable kind. John Schroeder has asked some questions about how we determine spiritual beauty in his post on the topic, and thinks that the absence of beauty is the absence of joy. John says:

"I do think "beauty" is our introduction to the otherworldly - to God's realm. I also think there are objective ways to identify the beautiful and the not beautiful."

Like John, I'm not sure how to actually describe an objective way of identifying beauty. But I do like his idea of beauty being an introduction to another realm - when I sit watching the sun set at the beach, and see the dynamic flow of colours changing, sometimes brilliant, sometimes pastel, I do get a sense of looking at a glimpse of another world. It seems to me that beauty is often associated with perfection. The airbrushed photos of models on magazine covers is an attempt to capture that I think - flawless beauty. So I found Charlie Lehardy's thoughts on this interesting in his post Thinking About Beauty. Charlie says:

"Beauty is not perfection, but a value judgment. A beautiful thing can be flawed, and in such a world as ours it always is. When we call something beautiful, it is as much an act of grace as appreciation. We are not saying it is perfect, only it is perfect in our eyes."

Charlie's words have a personal application for me right now. A few days ago I realised that I probably have a type of cancer again. I noticed it nonchalantly at first but have become very conscious of it. I know what it looks like as I've had it before, and then it was small and easily removed. It was everyone else that was worried about it, while I was quite matter of fact on the whole. I had some minor anxiety. This time it's in a completely different region than before and I haven't been able to push it aside so easily - partly because it has appeared suddenly (but will have developed over time) and is visible, and partly because removing it will very probably involve leaving me with a facial scar. My personal concept of beauty is being challenged. I'm still processing this but the one thing I do know is that I have a deeply held belief that we are made in God's image. I understand that exterior beauty is subject to age, disease, and trauma. Interior beauty is of the spirit - and is not dependent on exterior beauty.

I once heard a man give an amazing talk about how we associate the concept of evil with physical imperfection, and if some-one has an unflawed innocent looking face, we tend to be more trusting. He showed slides of some very attractive looking people and then told us the crimes they had committed. His point was not that beauty is bad, but that we almost automatically judge by the exterior. Which means we can convey disapproval of those who we consider not beautiful. None of us like to feel diminished through some-one else's eyes. We want to look good, be accepted, and be considered beautiful in our own uniqueness. I see nothing wrong with that desire if it isn't narcissistic. I have been thinking about that other world, and the way we see glimpses of it through our own imperfection. I've been thinking about how I see the beauty in some of the homeless people I have talked with in street ministry. Those times when their faces are shining as they talk. I think John Schroeder was right about joy. Not superficial highs - but a deeper sense that this mortality will put on immortality - that although we see dimly in the mirror now, we will see fully face to face. A joy in knowing that there will be perfection. I don't always feel joyful - I have different seasons. Joy develops spiritually - it grows from a deeper understanding of what is temporary and what is permanent. It comes from knowing I am loved. To borrow Charlie Lehardy's words, it comes from a continual act of grace. I think true appreciation of beauty comes from being appreciated as beautiful ourselves.

So this is where I am up to with the process. I will likely lose some of my physical beauty - and what woman, or man for that matter, wouldn't feel a sense of loss. I hope of course that the least possible amount of physical change is necessary. And I hope that my spirit will be more beautiful through it and my appreciation of the beauty of others will be from that otherworldly perspective.

Note 30-MAR-06: I have posted an update here.