by Xavier Grey

Created on: July 14, 2008   Last Updated: July 15, 2008

She was a very attractive woman in the physical sense; but I struggled to get past the ugliness of her character. In a purely carnal way, there was chemistry; but she couldn't speak; that is to say, she should not speak. I admit that I was taken in by her physical attributes; but it was superficial; I was superficial; and now I am merely remiss.

Physical beauty is something to behold; but you have only to scratch the surface to find what truly lies beneath. A lot of times the same aesthetic that compells you, repells you, once you've seen beyond the limited capacity of the flesh to reflect the true view of a person. The facade is not indicative of the quality in regrard to the construction of a being. Often the facade leads to disappointment, once you have been given access to what lies within it's confines.

Real beauty is substance. True beauty is more than skin deep. Beauty itself is a matter of composition, and dependent upon individual perception. It might very well encompass both an exterior and an interior, but beauty cannot stand on the merits of it's outward appearance alone.

I do not feel as though a person can attribute true beauty to that which is destined to fade. Physical appearances can be maintained, but not indefinitely. Surely the signs of the times are reflected, regardless of how much effort is put into minimizing the effects.

A thing that is pretty can be ascertained without much investigation; though the real beauty of a thing, in any form, is most accurately discerned by looking beyond the surface. A flower is pretty to look at. However, the beauty of a flower is seen under a microscope, seeing the individual components that comprise the whole. The beauty of a painting is in the individual interpretation in regard to what it represents. The colors of paint, the subject, they may be pretty; but the beauty is beheld by looking beyond that which is obvious;, by delving into the depths of the artists mind, even if it is subjective by way of preference and personal opinion, it is only beauty if one sees the whole.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As cliche as that seems, it's true. Observing only a portion of an object, a person, or an idea, and ascribing the label of beauty, is to imply any one component is truly indicative of the overall composition. Beauty itself is a matter of opinion, and mine states that beauty lies within. Outward appearances are not without their merit, and definitely not without appeal. However, a pretty veil over a hideous sight doesn't make the sight any less hideous, it just makes it harder to see.

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