Beauty is the Wrong Paradigm (a poem for girls)

I would rather be courageous than beautiful.
beauty is fleeting
it goes away.
I would rather be strong
I would rather stand with my face to the wind
in wide, open spaces where my soul can be
free
than have the need
inside of me
to be pretty.
I would rather be remembered for what I DO.
I want the world to see me and say
"There goes a maker." and
"Look at the work of her hands...
and her mind...and her soul."

I would rather be loving than beautiful.
Love lasts forever,
and beauty is food for worms.
Girls, oh girls! Gather 'round and and hear
my wisdom:
Beauty is the wrong paradigm.
Beauty is not enough to strive for
even if you think you want it from the very bottom of your soul.
Don't strive for beauty in your life, because if you do
you will find it
slipping through your fingers like
sands of time.
No.
Reach for love.
Reach for goodness.
Reach for creating beauty around you.
Reach for tenderness.
Reach for mercy.
Reach for graciousness and grace.
Reach for feeding the hungry,
and offering a cup of cold water to the thirsty person nearby.
Reach for being silent in the face of gossip,
and being kind instead of bitchy.
Reach for what interests you, what lights up your mind.
Be passionate about giving the depths of yourself to the world, by song, by story, through art or an excellent business idea....offer yourself up.
But don't reach for beauty.
it's the wrong paradigm.
You are so much MORE than beautiful.
a poem that doesn't rhyme by Alana Sheldahl

Comments

MA F said…
Alana, and now I have started my day with tears. Thank you for sharing your beautiful poem! My poems never rhyme either ha.
Frewtyl said…
This is just lovely. Wonderful.
monica said…
Im really glad that my daughter's first adjectives are "strong" and "silly". She has her priorties in order

I got a lot to learn