by Jane Myers

Created on: May 27, 2009

The Plank of Ugliness: Ugly is in the eye of the beholder just as is beauty. The opposition between ugly and beauty can be compared to the conflict between good and evil. The fairytale Beauty andthe Beast weaves classic examples of how beauty is sometimes drawn to unfavorable and unsavory people and situations and learns to adapt and come to look for similarities instead of differences. There was a lengthy adjustment period that Beauty suffered through, but she ultimately came to love the Beast and see the beauty of his soul. Triumphant people, in my eyes - are people are those who have overcome adversities, in spite the ugliness one might see at first blush. The perception of uglness seems to fade into pale as time passes and then it lands in the eye of the beholder. Ugly is like a two-edged sword. One side of the sword is sharp and jagged and the other side is sharp and jagged, as well. Another fairytale - The Princess and the Pea come to mind as I am writing. Again, this fairytale also diplays an interesting contrast between beauty and ugliness. I am more inclined to think that ugliness is an issue of one's heart, ranging from jealousy to contempt with little concern for others. Ugly is self-centeredness. Self-centeredness is ugly. Any way you slice it, ugly is ugly. Words can kill and hurt people. By taking time to consider words before they are spewed out is the beginning mark of humanitarianism and compassion, coupled with strength and responsibility for thoughts, words and deeds. Sometimes people laugh and say things like, "Oh, that was so ugly -ha ha. Perhaps it was ugly, but it was ugly of you to point it out in front of other people. Love usually dissolves ugliness, in its many forms. It may take a long time, but utlimately Love and Beauty will prevail. I like to think about fairytales and fables because they gently and beautifully point out charachter flaws and finally bring the reader to a conclusion that "they lived happily ever after." The book of Nephi has a verse of scripture that says, "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." 2Nephi 5:27 This verse came alive for me when I read it. I was attracted to it somehow, even though I had a prejudiced and jaded opinion of Mormons in general. By lying down prejudices and pre-conceived notions it becomes possible for beauty and ugliness to form the ties that bind, to loose the ties that bind to gently bring the restoration of harmony, tranquility, happiness and love.

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