True Beauty

I have done many things in my life.  Taken many roads.  Turned the wrong way.  But somehow landed right here.

I began as a hairdresser.
 I worked in various salons.  Moved on to become manager. Then in my early 20's I landed a position with a leading hair color company.  I traveled the country . I stood on top of a huge stage and professed that I was a 'color specialist' and the audience should listen to me.
  I met amazing people. Stayed up too late  partying with the best. Ate at the finest restaurants. Always wore the latest fashions.  My company actually gave us money to buy all gray clothes. (Black was just so 'yesterday'!) I thought that the beauty business was the 'end all~ be all'.

My oldest daughter was 'discovered' by a friend of mine.
Lindsey did her first commercial at age 9. We had the bug.  The kind of ugly modeling virus.
Several of my children modeled for years. We have many toy boxes, magazine ads and news papers to show off to their own children someday. I too caught the bug.  After watching the photographers create their beauty I watched until I 'got it'.

Luke on the toy box!

I began a small photography business. I shot mostly children and teens. Now I was the judge of what was beautiful.   My photographs were used as  their composite cards for their agency.  Soon I was being asked to do family Christmas cards and I decided to back way out of that field.

I never left the beauty business. 
I have been working behind a chair for 30 years now.
 Can you imagine the stories I have heard? 
In time I will write about those. No worries,  I promise to keep names out .


Enter Nathaniel.

Can you imagine just having a baby and every word out of every ones mouth is  negative.
Every Doctor and nurse painted the picture of gloom ahead.
 It is daunting to just think about it.
The books we read were about the worst. About the deaths.  The illnesses. 
The can-nots and will- nots.
We shook in fear when anyone opened their mouth. Afraid of the ugliness that they were about to spew. 
He was not their idea of perfection.
Not their idea of beautiful.

But he was my beautiful.
He was my perfection.

 I would just look at Nate. I could only see a perfectly round, blue eyed, handsome little boy. 
Hmmm, maybe they were wrong.
Who said they were right?
Who made them the judge and jury of what is beautiful?
Perfect?
Worthy?
Who gave them that right?

I decided early on to throw the books away. 
To keep any one with a negative thought out of my life.
 Focus.
 I began to wonder about beauty.
 I was in the business for so long.
Was it really about height?  Great skin and long flowing hair?  Or could I really have it all wrong? 


Reality check.

Think about what is beautiful to you?

We all know that amazing looking Barbie doll.  Gorgeous at every angle.  Until she opens her mouth.  One that is filled with negativity and bile.

Her beauty diminishes in an instant.

We all know that beauty comes from within. Its a deep connection to the universe that makes you glow.
 A feeling of radiance that your beauty is infectious.
 Real beauty cannot be applied.
Years of teaching  people how to achieve great beauty.
 Years of watching card board perfection's  rejected by an agency has brought me right here.

Exactly where I should be.

 

Down Syndrome children are one of the most beautiful children in the world.

They may have an extra 21st  chromosome.
Maybe an imperfection here or there.

 But not in their hearts.

Nathaniel does not care what you look like.
 He could care less what you are wearing or if your hair is styled.
Nate never notices . 
But what he does notice is your light.
He notices that you said hello.
That you took the time to talk with him and share a giggle.
 That you shook  his hand and looked into his eyes.
He knows pure kindness. He will never ask your religion or your weight.
He does not care if you are black or white. 
He does not judge.


If I only knew then what I know now.
Nate is true beauty.