Beauty and the Beast

 

As a people we seem to be moving ever farther into the shallow end. The emphasis on the instant, the cheap, and the easily accessible seems to be far outweighing the desire for lasting, meaningful, and precious. A shifting focus to self, while maintaining the condemnations of selfishness, has created a kind of narcissistic syndrome in the mass populace. And to top it all off we have normalized, even celebrated this kind of behavior. We watch it all play out like a bad movie, but we are glued to the screen. Some woman loses her mind in a store, and we whip our phones out. Someone is getting beaten in a crowded parking lot, so we record it for entertainment purposes. We are sick and we like it. We gawk at the beautiful, dripping with extravagance, all while judging their self-absorbed personalities. Our brains are crammed with advertisements on how we can use this pill, cream, workout, clothing item, to be just like them. We are shocked when they are caught cheating, going to rehab, committing murder, stealing, or decide to end their own lives. Yet, generation after generation, we never learn. Our love of the physical far outweighs our willingness to hold to the meaningful.

We choose the beast that is wrapped in the pretty packaging and then wonder at how we got wounded!

This might sound like I’m talking only about women or celebrities, but the truth is I’m not. I’m talking about the people all around us. We look at our world, and the disease is right there before our very eyes. Day in and day out people chose the easy way, the normal over something worthwhile.

You might ask, “how do you know? That’s a rather general statement. Not all people are like that.” Well, experience is a great teacher. I have lived ‘differently’ for several years now. Pursuing something meaningful. God. I have given up simple, easy, and normal. What I have gotten in return was far more than I ever thought. I have many healthy relationships. I enjoy continued personal growth in many areas. I get to help others on their journey to discover and know God. I get to travel and see the world. I get to watch work. It’s amazing. Still, people look at me and feel the need to point out my struggle as a sign that I’m doing something wrong. Excuse me?! When did struggle become a sign that you are doing it wrong and easy become the sign of doing it right?! I have chosen to take on my issues rather than sweep them under the rug so that I can get back to normal. I also accept that once something has been changed and dealt with, it usually requires a NEW normal. All of this, and still people tell me that they don’t want to give up their simple, meaningless, ease for my challenges. Okay, fine. Let’s look at what is happening in the world around us and evaluate from there. Go check your local
headlines. I’ll wait. Are you still convinced that the world around you is just fine as it is?!

Go to Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, bla bla bla, fill in the blanks, whatever it is, and all you see is the world trying to convince you of its perfect beauty. We put a great deal of emphasis on the physical health and appearance of the individual, but we are expected to just medicate our mental and emotional problems. Emotional maturity is not something that we teach or encourage, we just get mad when it is a problem we have to deal with in other people.

Come on! When are we going to decide that depth is something we want as an individual? When is wisdom going to be an attractive characteristic again? What about being excited for someone as they grow through an emotional or mental challenge instead of treating them like
social pariah that needs to just keep that stuff to themselves because “no one cares”?

Let me explain something to you, your pictures about your coffee? No one cares. Your beach photos. No one cares. Your kids report card? No one cares! No one has the capacity to, because they are all too busy trying to appear as perfect as you are!

This is the madness that we call NORMAL!

This is the outward beauty we are all striving to achieve while behind closed doors, our verbal jousting matches bring out the monster that lurks not so far beneath the surface. We make a habit of holding in high regard the physically attractive or the financially successful and then wonder why in return they treat us abhorrent. Their priorities are wrong to be sure but so were yours. Men who complain about how their women are so mean and controlling, you didn’t seem to mind when you first met her and all you could think about was how pretty she was. Women who are frustrated because your men are at work all the time, you didn’t seem to mind when you said you wanted a financially stable guy

So what? You traded truth, depth, love, maturity, kindness, goodness, mercy, wisdom and anything worth anything as a human trait for beauty and ease. Well, is it worth it?

And for those of you sitting there going, “Are you saying that I have to settle for an ugly person?” No, I’m saying YOU are the ugly person. Your focus on outward appearance has turned you into the beast. Beauty is probably far easier to find if your standards included character. Sweetness and true wisdom will draw people to it.