My daughter and I were talking the other day. She said, "Mom do you think that those models on the front of that magazine are pretty?" I told her that well, I would like to look like that.....then she said..."Mom, you are a lot prettier than that" She was not seeing the me that I do.....When I look in the mirror I just see a fortyish mom with an interesting sense of color combinations in clothing......It got me to thinking what is really beautiful......!!

What is really beautiful.....The very back of a newborns neck, The hands of an old man that has worked hard, the eyes of a little calf, the first drawing that is presented to you in crayon, a crumpled up dandelion in a little fist, a child in slumber, dew on the garden......Now it is your turn.......

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 02, 2001

Answers

smile wrinkles

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 02, 2001.

A person with a keen mind, a great personality, and knows humor.

While beauty is only skin deep, I do appreciate that skin most when it is arranged in an attractive way.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), February 02, 2001.

Nan, your "dew on the garden" made me think about a time several years ago...It was in March and you know how cold and wet and raw March can be sometimes? Well money was really tight and I was fixing another frugal meal. It had been raining all morning and perhaps I was a little down, anyway the rain had stopped and I went out to the garden to pick some mustard greens, trying to be thankful for having mustard greens to pick but not being very successful. I bent over to pick a leaf and the sun broke thru and all those greens were covered with "diamonds" they sparkled more than Solomon's treasury ever could have! Then I was thankful! I didn't have any more money and I was still going to eat mustard greens[again] but the LORD showed me how much He loved me and that He knew my circmstances by providing me with that wonderful display. To this day it remains in my mind as one of the prettiest sights I have ever seen. Thanks for calling it to mind. Artie Ann

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), February 02, 2001.

Dew or Frost on spiderwebs, frost on horse's whiskers, Red-tailed hawks whistling, coyotes howling, hummingbirds, sleeping children, playing children, snow sifting through White pines, children laughing, dogs wrasslin', icicles, Sundogs, warm lazy Summer days, cool Autumn days, Spring rains, Winter's fresh snow, and just generally everyday I'm blessed with my son and my sense of wonder. Your turn.

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), February 02, 2001.

Nan, what a blessing. I needed to read this today, and share too.

What is really beautiful??

My baby girls smile when she wakes up and see's me there. My dogs tail at 75 wags per minute. The little tomatoes that are just now peeking out of there growth medium, which includes the promise of summer harvest. (don't laugh here) The ever growing pile of ferilizer from my composting toilet. The ice on the OUTSIDE of my house windows this morning! Most of you people caring and sharing.

I do declare that there is beauty everywhere.

Shalom

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), February 02, 2001.

Way back in my 'big hair' days, I wouldn't be caught dead leaving the house-or even staying home-without doing it up good and high, with lots of hairspray and don't forget the makeup! Then came the surprise summer storm, rain wind and hail pelleting my garden and prized plants, out I went with tarps and blankets to cover everything I could-gosh I was soaked and what a mess! Then the sun came out, and the dog and I were walking around surveying the damage, and trying to clean up when honey came home, I was so upset I didn't even think about dashing into the house to fix myself up. That man stood there looking at me like he'd never seen me before in his life (well, he never did, looking like that) He barely said a word, just kissed my like I'd never been kissed....you can imagine the rest....told me I never looked more beautiful. Quite a day, that one was.

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), February 02, 2001.

Sun shining thru my blue glass bottles on my kitchen window sill, a full pantry and a heaped high wood pile; kitty trying to catch a butterfly; a laundry line full of clean clothing, and a patch on a well-loved piece of clothing that is neat and strong and enables the garment to be useful again. A nicely darned sock, and a basket full of handspun yarn. Next....!!!!!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), February 02, 2001.

A young pullet the first time she gets into the nest box. Sits there like a little girl at a grown up tea party, trying to do it right, but not quite ready. Can you tell I have a henhouse full of pullets right now? The million different shades of green as spring is bursting out. There aren't enough words to describe them all. A pile of puppies, all tuckered out and asleep.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), February 02, 2001.

Thom and I were coming home from something or the other when we spotted a rainbow ahead of us. That in and of itself is beautiful, but hardly amazing. Then, the sun started to set and the whole rainbow caught the light just right from the setting sun so that all of those fluorescent, electric oranges and pinks and purples that one gets during a really firery sunset just took over the rainbow. It was like someone had hooked it up to an electric supply. I've never seen so much color saturation at those intensities and in the whole spectrum too boot, with a backdrop of "leftover" sunset colors. It was fierce. We just pulled over and sat on the hood of the car like we were at some sort of tailgate party until the rainbow and the light faded beyond recovery. Truly an intense experience. I'd never seen anything like it before, or since.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), February 02, 2001.

The first hug from my little girl after her heart operation. Still choke up when I think about it.

-- Steve (collins@cpinternet.com), February 02, 2001.

Aw, Steve. Pass the tissues....Snuffle. Precious!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), February 03, 2001.

Steve, that IS BEAUTIFUL! What a wonderful mental picture for the day!!!!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 03, 2001.

Ah Thanks everyone ! This is awesome!

-- Trendle ellwood (trendlespin@msn.com), February 03, 2001.

The miracle of a seed sown becoming a plant. The hill behind my barn. The sun rise, the sun set. A whispered "I love you", at church service from a grand daughter. The trust I see in my dogs eyes...knowing he understands that he will never be hurt by another human again. He was abused,you see!

-- Ardie (a6203@hotmail.com), February 03, 2001.

Laugh lines and smile wrinkles.

Stacy Rohan-- I have both (grin)

-- Stacy Rohan (KincoraFarm@aol.com), February 03, 2001.

I like your reality Nan. I believe reality is a choice and we see what we choose to see. Simply a matter lf tuning into the right channels. Beauty for me today was 500 little greens seeds as they went into the tray. Great subject, reminds me of all the opportunities for observing beauty in the....countryside.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), February 04, 2001.

The perfect dimpled hands of a baby. The pink red sky of a Texas sunset. A box of fuzzy day old chicks. The contentment on the face of oldtimers who are pleased with the life they lived. Jackie

-- Jackie NE TX (jlynne@neato.com), February 04, 2001.

What did it take to make that woman on that magazine "beautiful". I think baby goats and cows are beautiful, canning jars on shelves, a fire in the stove, and a girl or woman that God's Spirit shines through, smiles that light up a room

-- Cindy (SE In) (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), February 08, 2001.

Yes, Cindy there is a difference between the plastic beauty that you see on the magazines and the true beauty that comes from a pure heart. I have friends that I would consider to be the most beautiful women that I know. They don't wear makeup or cut their hair. They don't go to the beauty parlor or have makeovers. They have a sweet spirit and the light of the Lord shines from their eyes. When they smile at me I know what you mean about the smiles that light a room! I think the men are beautiful too, but don't let them hear me say it! Don't want to give them the big head!HEEHEE! Nothing more beautiful than a heart that is true!!!!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), February 09, 2001.

The silence of feeding the livestock in the moonlight with snow all over the ground, no need for a flashlight; then the coyotes sing way off in the distance. dh in nm

-- debra in nm (dhaden@nmtr.unm.edu), February 09, 2001.

beauty lies in the eyes and heart of every person that i have met in 63 years and i have met a lot of people that have a heart made of gold. beauty is only skin deep but when you look and i mean really look into a person eyes and you can feel the warmth from that person then you have really met a beautiful person...look out there for they are all around you and good luck

-- frank white (frankw2526@hotmail.com), February 13, 2001.