Saturday 24 July 2010

Getting REAL! Taking the layers off one by one and finding true beauty and acceptance

Thank you Shakti Mama, Ariella, Kat and Maureen at Twig and Toadstool for inspiring this challenge to "Get Real" and embrace ourselves and each other.... Just the way we are!

Okay so this was the first "Real" shot of the day. And I was so happy with how blurry it turned out ;) Until I realised that the focus of my camera was on manual and therefore I wasn't really playing by the rules.

A little better....
Eeek! Okay this is me full on, no make up at the end of a busy day with the girlies :)

Matilda wanted a picture with me when she saw I was taking my own photo and being a silly mummy. Well she's used to that. Again blurry, because she knocked my hand a little as I took the shot.

Thoughtful...
I have pretty much stopped wearing make up for the past couple of years. I usually wear my hair up during the day too but let it down in the evening around my family.
Also often I wear a headband or headscarf .
My deep desire is to learn to find beauty from my soul. I seek to nurture that more than my outer appearance now.

Letting go of the make up was part of the process of embracing myself truly as I am.
To find my real work in the tending, cultivating, and nourishing my true self, and my soul above and beyond the outer work of conforming to an ideal of physical beauty.

Make up and clothes used to be my protection, my mask. I used to "find myself" in my look.
But one day it occurred to me, that if my look was taken away from me, what would be left? What would be me? A social stereotype?
My soul is more than an image.

I have been trying to take the layers off one by one. I want to be real, I want to be authentic, I want my girls to know that a woman's beauty lies in her heart not her make up bag.

Little by little I have come to find my value in who I am becoming in God rather than how I look.

I remember, as a child gazing into my danish grandmother's soft blue eyes, cradled in laughter lines and wrinkles and the shadows of a full but hard life. And all I could think was, how beautiful she was. I even used to ask her.... "Tell me Granny, tell me the truth, are you really an angel?" I sit here in recollection, smiling at the innocence of a child. But that is the kind of "seeing" I have lost somehow, along the years.
The learning to see real beauty, and accept it in myself too.

Your beauty shall not come from outer adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."
1 Peter 3.

Inner adornments are the most beautiful ones. I pray to learn how to recognise and acquire them as I walk my journey.

19 comments:

  1. Thank you for these brave and real photos! You have a beautiful face, and when I look into your eyes I see such a sweetness, innocence and wonder.
    I also see wisdom!
    Thank you and nice to meet you!

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  2. Suzy! I am so thrilled to have met you here. You are absolutely gorgeous on all levels!

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  3. LOVE the pictures. You are beautiful. My "mask" would be the same as yours, and I'm glad I have worked past that! As you said, there's someone way deeper and more valuable than the clothes and make-up.

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  4. suzy, your face is so beautiful... and like childhood magic said, there is wisdom in your eyes. i keep meaning to participate in this ... i need to. it is such a growing exercise. i strive for this unveiling of myself too... yours is a pure spirit.

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  5. What a beautiful, beautiful post. I hope you don’t mind, but I am going to link back to this. We need to each encourage each other in the truth. WE are created in the LORD’s image after all!!

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  6. Thanks for all your sweet and encouraging comments dear ones :) You make my day a little brighter. xx

    Shonni, no I don't mind at all, in fact I'm honored :)
    xx Bless you.

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  7. Suzy your such a beautiful girl! You are blessed with a face that needs no make up anyways. Those stunning blue eyes and naturally rosey cheeks...I'm jealous. You are definately radiating your inner beauty in each of these photos. You should smile in your photos more often it brings your whole face to life. It's a bit liberating to show yourself in this way isn't it? Thank you for letting us see some more of who you are. You're very brave. And thanks for the link, you always know how to make a girl feel super special.

    Blessings,
    Kat

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  8. Such lovely photos, your smiling face, I stopped wearing makeup 3 years ago, Love and light from New Zealand Marie

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  9. Beauty emanates from you in so many ways. I have learned so many things beautiful from you! You have been REAL to me for some time! Thanks be to God!!!! Cathy

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  10. They are all beautiful but I think the one with your little girl embraces my heart the most ...

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  11. Yes, you are beautiful, your face has a lovely whimsical look to it, and I agree, much wisdom there!

    You write so many lovely words here, especially regarding how we can learn to see and appreciate real beauty. I do think that our physical world is beautiful for a reason -- God wants us to love what he loves. It also inspires us and gives us hope. I think that we need to recognize beauty in our physical world so we understand how to recognize beauty in our inner selves ... our higher selves ... I guess I think it's all beautiful :) ... we just have to understand how to recognize "true" beauty both within and without.

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  12. these photos are so lovely - your soul's beauty and serenity really does shine through. this post genuinely touched my heart.

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  13. I love what you said:

    "I have been trying to take the layers off one by one. I want to be real, I want to be authentic, I want my girls to know that a woman's beauty lies in her heart..."

    Yes! :) And the pictures of you are real and sweet, and especially the one with your daughter.

    Many many blessings to you and yours,
    Stacy

    P.S. I think your whole blog is so beautiful. I am feeling really peaceful here. :)

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  14. oh how I love your freckles and blue eyes, and I love the real you! I wanted to participate too, and I found Shakti Mama through your blog, the award post. It is so inspiring to peel back all the things that keep us from being our real, true selves! And, for me, to realize what I hide behind as well :)

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  15. Such a beautifully, cheerful face!

    Visiting from Shakti Mama.
    Nice to 'meet' you. :D

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  16. Thank you all so much for your kind comments. You make a girl smile :)

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  17. You are just gorgeous! (you just radiate youth and beauty...seriously!) And your post...I mean, it just goes to show that your beauty goes right down to the soul level!
    I also have to admit that I like you all the more now that I know you have a little Matilda under your wing as well! (I have a Ruby & a Matilda as well)!
    xo maureen

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  18. Suzy,
    Your photos are lovely, and your inner and outer beauty are on full display.Like others, I also
    enjoy a peaceful feeling when I read your blog.
    Enjoy your summer with your dear ones.
    Love and prayers,
    Gail

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I treasure each and every one of your comments.
Your kind words never fail to bring a smile to my face:)
At the moment I am going through a busy season of life with 5 girls under my wing! I may not always be able to respond immediately but please know that every word left here is read and appreciated deeply.
xx