Journal Day #9

Journal Day 9 - Beauty
Prompt:  How would you say your upbringing or background has shaped your idea of beauty?  Were you taught to apply makeup or do your hair by your mother or friends?  If not, where did you observe what is now your norm as far as beauty practices?  And although most of us have been inundated by different cultural beauty "norms" via the media, would you say that television and magazines have had a strong impact on shaping what you think of as beautiful?  This week, write about your idea of beauty - how your background has shaped it and what that means for you today.

For me, my mom was (is) my idea of beauty.  She has long flowing hair past her waist that she never cut as long as I've been alive.  She never spent time in the bathroom putting on make up.  She was a wash and go type of woman.  She had a glow of love and contentment about her that no amount of makeup could ever give her.  My mom grew up on a farm, and when she grew up she became a nurse.  For her, trying to get all dolled up was sort of a waste of time.  That's not to say she didn't use make up from time to time, she just didn't spend hours in front of the mirror doing it.  Simple.  My dad loves her just the way she is, and always has.

Growing up, since I never really saw her putting on make up or styling her her it wasn't something I had any interest in until I was introduced to it by the kids I went to school with.  It didn't really become a big deal until middle school when kids were actually starting to experiment with it and wear to school.  Of course I wanted to try it and fit in, but that was a big NO from my parents.  By the time high school rolled around, and my parents relented on the make up front, I had no idea what I was doing.  Most of the other kids had been playing around with it with each other, or with their moms.  Being kind of an outcast I didn't get invited to the playing with hair and make up slumber parties until I was older, and then it was more of a subject of torment than fun (well, fun for them and torment for me).  The girls like to make me up to look ridiculous (something I will be blogging about more at some point), rather than to help instruct me on how to do it.  As a result, I didn't wear much make up.  I was terrible at putting it on, I was self-conscious when I did, and my "friends" picked up on that and only teased me about it worse.  It might have been different if YouTube and the internet tutorials had been a thing when I was growing up.  But that wasn't an option.

As an adult (and sometimes I still have to giggle about that word applying to me now) I can apply some make up with out too much of a clown look.  I tried doing it every day, but I hate spending that much time in the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror.  I hate having to make sure I have the time in the morning to "make the magic" happen.  I'd rather be snuggled in bed with my husband, or enjoying a cup of coffee and an episode of Doctor Who with my husband.  I'm lucky to be married to a guy who prefers me with out make up.  We are both the wash and go types, and it is wonderful!

Today there are different ideas of beauty every where you look.  We really are bombarded with it in commercials and even the programs we watch.  Yes some of those size zero girls on the TV program are pretty, but my mom is still my idea of beauty.  I think that beauty lies in anyone that is truly happy and content with who they are whether they are covered in tattoos, or make up, or simple wash and go.  For me, beauty has become more than just visual, it's also a mind set.  I think that realization has helped me come to peace with my own self image.