| Volume 1 #11 | August 2006                          

Beauty's Only Skin Deep (Yeah Yeah Yeah...)

I grew up in the 60s with a lifelong passion for the music of the era.  It was, of course, a decade where the music had strong messages reflecting the times. I was also a big Motown fan and one of my favorites, the Temptations, had among their many hits a song with a great personal, rather than political, message: Beauty's Only Skin Deep.

Nowadays, so much is made in our society about image, packaging, looks. This is, very obviously, most prominent in the entertainment industry where the golden rule is "beauty sells." 

There's nothing wrong with being attractive or looking your best. However, when we start over-emphasizing or equating the value of someone or their message because of the physical packages they carry, then we're in trouble. If one must be beautiful to inspire, then a lot of us would be defeated and go unheard from the get go. There's a danger in missing out on the gifts and talents of someone who might touch our spirits because we decided they didn't meet a worldly standard of attractiveness...and saddest of all is when someone makes the decision to hold back from sharing themselves because they felt they didn't meet that standard. That robs us all.

Personally, I'm not impressed with looks if the music or the message doesn't do anything for me, or if they don't "walk their talk."  Some of the greatest life-impacting encouragers I've had were those who were not Hollywood material. 

We're all going to age eventually and say farewell to our youthful looking selves. Inner beauty that is allowed to shine and be expressed will have a longer lasting impact. And you know, that which lasts longer has more value, doesn't it? 

So, don't pass up the not quite as outwardly pretty package. Peel the layers and look below the surface for the real beauty. You'll be glad you did.

---Wendy V

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All original written material ©2005-2006 Wendy Vickers. All Rights Reserved.

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