Larry and I went to a fast-food place last week, and while he waited in line, I sat at a table and people-watched.
There was a woman about my age in line. She had gorgeous white hair, and the most beautiful porcelain skin I have ever seen. Everything she had on looked right, down to the perfect number and placement of accessories. I immediately thought, "I want to look like her."
Just ahead of her was another woman about the same age. She had stringy gray hair and a blotchy complexion and her clothes looked like they had just come from Deseret Industries, (or maybe they had been rejected by Deseret Industries.) The women with her were asking about her Relief Society service, and I realized "I want to be like her."
The first woman probably does great service as well, and we're encouraged to look as nice as possible without dwelling on it too much, but this experience reminded me of the scripture which says God looks not on the outward appearance but on the heart. I won't ever have perfect skin and perfect hair; the intricacies of a perfect outfit will probably stay forever out of reach, but I can work on perfecting my heart.
And I can stop judging people by their appearance.
You are beautiful inside and out!
ReplyDeleteAmen to Cori's comment!
ReplyDeleteI loved a passage in a book I just finished reading about how a little boy saw a woman and thought that it was too bad that she wasn't pretty because he would have liked his father to fall in love with her. As the family spent time together she grew more and more beautiful in his eyes. By the time his father ended up proposing, the son couldn't imagine anyone more beautiful.