Looking for Beauty

Steve Goodier

Many people like me feel slightly passed over in a world that seems to place a high value on beauty. But a short poem by Anthony Ewell reminds us that physical attractiveness can be over-rated. He writes:

"As a beauty I am not a great star,
There are others more handsome by far.
But my face, I don't mind it,
For I am behind it,
It's the people in front who get the jar!"

Physically, maybe I'm not the stuff dreams are made of. And maybe, as the poem suggests, it doesn't matter. Because I believe there is another kind of beauty in all of us that can be experienced by anybody who digs a little deeper.

Several times I have visited a natural wonder that is one of the largest and most spectacular of its kind in the world. Carlsbad Caverns is an immense series of limestone caves extending under much of southern New Mexico (USA). Native Americans took refuge in the gaping hole that is the main entrance, but they did not venture far. A hundred years ago settlers in the area were attracted to the opening by the awesome sight of hundreds of thousands of bats swarming from the hole every summer evening. Though a bat guano mining operation was set up, nobody explored much beyond the bat's dwelling places.

Eventually, a cowboy name Jim White explored deeper. He returned with fantastic stories of gigantic subterranean chambers, spectacular cave formations and unbelievably stupendous sights. Even in 1915, after black and white photographs were taken of the caverns, many did not believe. The government sent skeptic Robert Holley to investigate in 1923. He wrote in his final report, "I am wholly conscious of the feebleness of my efforts to convey in words the deep conflicting emotions, the feeling of fear and awe, and the desire for an inspired understanding of the Divine Creator's work which presents to the human eye such a complex aggregate of natural wonders."

A whole new world—majestic, wondrous and awe-inspiring—lay hidden from view. Its unimagined beauty can only be experienced by exploring beneath the surface.

And so it is with people. I have found in people a unique inner beauty that can be discovered by exploring beneath the surface. They may not believe it is there themselves, but that does not mean it doesn't exist.

Those outward looks we're usually so self-conscious about don't matter much. Who people really are may be hidden beneath the outer landscape like a magnificent subterranean palace. And when you care to scratch the surface a bit, you can discover what others have missed.

And you will be rewarded beyond measure.

I express myself from a heart of Love.

Marie T. Russell

What happens when we feel anger (consciously or sub-consciously) but want to hide it? Whatever we hold back becomes part of us and gets stored in our body as a tangible manifestation in the form of headaches, tension, pain, illness, ulcers, cancer, arthritis, back pain, and many other physical ailments.

We feel that by holding back on expressing our anger we are doing the "right" thing and not hurting anyone. Yet we are hurting ourselves—in ways that we are not conscious of. And as for the other persons, they may need to hear what we have to say, just as much as we need to express it.

Of course, we need to learn how to express our anger or discontent without "dumping" on the other. We can express ourselves without destroying the other person's sense of self-worth or attacking them emotionally, verbally, or physically. We can communicate from a heart of love not a heart at war.

Solutions

Carl Jung

All the greatest and most important problems of life are fundamentally insolvable...they can never be solved, but only outgrown. This "outgrowth" proved on further investigation to require a new level of consciousness. Some higher or wider interest appeared on the person's horizon, and through this broadening of his or her outlook the unsolvable problem lost its urgency. It was not solved logically in its own terms but faded when confronted with a new and stronger life urge.

Impatience

Neale Donald Walsch

Impatience will get you nowhere, fast.

If you insist on being in a hurry, you'll move very quickly—and often get nowhere. Take a breath. Relax. Find your peace.

Don't require the Universe to move more rapidly than it is. It is actually working perfectly, and it will prove that to you if you will give it a chance.

A Monster to Hug

Steve Goodier

One couple spent a holiday driving in the mountains. "Every time you race around one of those narrow curves," exclaimed the wife, "I just get terrified."

"Then do what I do," suggested her husband. "Close your eyes!"

We are all afraid at times, but closing our eyes may not be the best way through fear. I've found it better to open my eyes and try to experience those fears.

You've heard of facing your fears; how about embracing them?

I think one man's experience with fear can help.

In 1972, David Miln Smith had such an opportunity. Smith, an adventurer, author, and professional speaker, decided to spend a night alone in the famous St. Michael's Cave on the island of Gibraltar as a test of courage. In his book Hug That Monster (Andrews and McMeel, 1996), he tells of hearing strange sounds all around him as he lay there in the pitch-black, damp, deserted cave. Most frightening was the fact that he came to believe he was not alone!

Fear became panic and he was afraid he was losing his mind. Then suddenly, as he was approaching his psychological breaking point, Smith thought to himself, "Whatever the monster looks like, I will hug it." That simple, almost silly thought brought great relief to his restless mind. He soon fell into a deep and peaceful sleep until morning. He learned that embracing his fear, literally or figuratively, allowed him to subdue it.

We each have our nights of fear, don't we? We all encounter monsters of some sort. We may fear spiders or insects, heights or crowds, abandonment or loneliness, the future or death. And most of us are occasionally visited by shadows of these monsters in the dark of night.

The next time you're afraid, try "hugging the monster." Face it and embrace it. It's hard to feel afraid of something you're hugging! And you just might be surprised at how quickly it slips away and at how confident you begin to feel.

That beautiful spirit Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face." But after looking it in the face, how about embracing it? Just imagine yourself putting your arms around whatever is keeping you awake in the night. Make it your friend, because it is! Whatever you fear, once faced and embraced, will actually make you a better person.

Now, do you have a monster to hug?

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