Everyone always talks about how it doesn't matter how pretty you are, it's what's on the inside that counts! That's certainly true, but how many times do we actually stop and LOOK at that "inside beauty" in the people around us? I know I don't look near as often as I should!

What does this inner beauty look like and how can we recognize it? "It" is different for everyone. I see it most in the strong women around me. They have an ageless beauty. No, it isn't some Marilyn Monroe-physical beauty, it's hidden deep inside. It's in the way they carry themselves. The strength that goes unnoticed, but has always been there. The look in the eyes that hold so much wisdom, brought on by the heavy blows of life and age. It's in the wrinkles in the hands that run deep, but have so much history. Those wrinkled hands have held babies, rocked them to sleep. Held the hands of her children and husband; wiped away tears, her own and others. Those hands keep the house clean, laundry done, and dinner on the table. The beauty is also in the way the eyes light up and the smile grows wide as she recalls some "secret" stories or her past that are totally taboo now! (Like all the trouble she got into when she was my age 😉) It's also in the silence as she stands strong and still. The head held high, but not in a snobby way; more like a warrior stance. Like someone who has seen the good, bad, and ugly of life and has lived to tell about it.

If we stop talking just to hear ourselves speak and actually listen with our own hearts, this beauty will become more prominent. Look at the older people. Listen to them when they speak to you. Don't just brush it off with an eye roll because "you already know everything," in typical teenager fashion.

I don't know about you, but that 'Soul Beauty' is what I want. I want to be respected and looked up to because I am kind, sincere, and strong; not because I have a pretty face.