Beauty and Beast
I can not write of beauty without thought of the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" originally published in 1756 by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Through many retellings of the tale the bottom line of the plot is not to be forgotten--Beauty is the Beast. Or, is Beast the Beauty?
If I think beyond the depth of skin I can see that beauty and beast are the same. Rather, they are interchangeable. I can see clearly now that beauty is found within the ugliest of things while ugliness is found in some of the most beautiful of things.
When eyes first see Beast, the view seems not as a thing of beauty. Upon an up close and personal viewing over time and circumstance, the eyes see the inner beauty of the beast. Conversely, it is possible for us to view an object or person as a thing of beauty while time presents us with the not-so-pretty truth, showing itself rather beastly.
I fondly recall the first time I heard the words, "You are beautiful." Yet I wonder why it took so long to hear those words (50 years!) as another's view of me. Had I truly been the Beast up until that time? Perhaps, perhaps not.
As I think about beauty now, I am glad that I am one of those whose perception of beauty is that it is found peeking out of everywhere, often out of the darkest corners of a person, place, or thing. Beauty is a many splendored being.
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Picture, poem, and prose are copyright Ruth Cox . All Rights Reserved. Do not remove. | Beauty | beast | Category-Challenge | poetry | literature | creativity | ruthcox |
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Comments
DWDavisRSL wrote on January 11, 2015, 7:52 PM
I enjoy telling my wife she is beautiful, especially at odd moments when she is least expecting it. To me, she is still the most beautiful woman I know.
RuthCox wrote on January 11, 2015, 8:04 PM
Your wife is one lucky lady and you must be just as beautiful a person as she!
Renda wrote on January 11, 2015, 8:38 PM
Very well said! I have to agree that beauty is found in many things, some that others would consider horrid. I have come to realize that the shell withers and becomes fragile, while the inner beauty only grows stronger...more radiant.
RuthCox wrote on January 11, 2015, 9:09 PM
You get no argument from me on that assessment, Renda .
zabelle51 wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:06 AM
Beauty as they say is in the eye of the beholder but inner beauty is much more appealing over the long haul. :)
RuthCox wrote on January 13, 2015, 11:25 AM
Indeed! And that is the truest beauty for our eyes to see.
happynutritionist wrote on January 14, 2015, 3:15 PM
Those are some deep thoughts on true beauty. As they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, sometimes it is beyond what the eye sees, as you have shared.
RuthCox wrote on January 14, 2015, 4:12 PM
Yes, I believe art interpretation truly is an individual thing, from the perspective of artist and viewer.
1BarbRad wrote on December 12, 2015, 10:47 PM
I mostly agree, except I think it's really hard to see the beauty in someone who is willing to torture an animal or another human being and seems to revel in it.