What Beauty Is

It is hard to define beauty. I know that when one sees it, a certain awe-inspired impression is made upon the beholder. You cannot predict its coming, it must be experienced. Some things are known generally as beautiful, and other beauties are a very personal, individual thing. Beauty must come from God and so he must himself possess some beauty. Created beauty is the only beauty. Spontaneous beautiful acts are still creations. A beautiful thing, belief, action, state of being, or feeling can make one happy or sad. Beauty can cause tears of joy or pain. Beauty is not all good, as nothing in this world is. The beauty we see here cannot be as good as the beauty we will encounter in the presence of God's beauty. Our world is corrupt, and so is our beauty. It never lasts long. Either the beautiful person gets old and dies or the beautiful feelings of love fade. A beautiful world cannot always be so. And so, beauty is not lasting, and so, less important than one might believe. For some reason, it is one of our favorite things, if not THE favorite of humans.

What do YOU find beautiful? It is hard to admit sometimes because it leaves us open for judgement. For whatever reason, beauty is personal because it is felt so deeply when encountered. I find the following things to be beautiful, maybe they show what I value, or perhaps it is all ingrained: Nature, animals (especially horses and cats), natural hair color, wood, thinness, thick hair, stylish interiors, large eyes on women, equestrianism, stories, gossip, history, genealogy, the Holy Spirit, love, peace, some music, perfectly manicured nails (painted, acrylic, or natural), colors, best friends, inspiration, hard work and the rest that follows, my husband, my family, my friends, Catholic churches/mass, blessings, seasonal activities, names, well-made clothing, fantasy, perfect health, disposable income, and youth.

There is also the type of beauty that has to do with how people look. Experts on the subject suggest that body symmetry and certain gendered ratios that designate good health are what causes widely recognized beauty. The problem is, someone can be perfectly symmetrical and still not be beautiful. And why would the female models of today be seen as beautiful when their lack of substantial fat causes menstrual omission? Androgyny is becoming more and more beautiful to our culture and yet this combined gendering must lead to procreative confusion in some way.

Then there are the "cute" animals, such as Scottish Fold kittens and hedgehogs. Why are they cute? Does being cute designate being round, suggesting a baby? Nature's way of causing us to be attracted to our babies and other dependent things? Beautiful people seem to be preferred over ugly people BECAUSE they are beautiful. Beauty evokes powerful reactions. Natural instincts or learned behavior?

A few studies I heard of really make a case for cultural cause. You have probably heard of the stories of island people's preferring a certain look as beautiful, and when introduced to our culture's television shows, promptly changes their bias. What do you think?