**Originally published in Midland,
2003 and lifted from:
http://sagada.org/teen/pageant/2004/01/its-not-what-you-see.html
Girls definitely dream to be anything but ordinary in this world where physical appearances tend to be the boss. Such dreams may include being the prettiest girl in the classroom, the most popular girl in the campus, or even the reigning queen.
As a typical girl, I do have many dreams. But these dreams never included having a crown set on my head for winning a beauty pageant. I had always regarded beauty pageants as fitted only for girls with perfect smiles, gorgeous bodies and striking faces. They were intended for girls who had the confidence to show a bit of flesh and worm their way to the judges’ approval and the crowd’s appreciation.
Fate had other plans. Somehow I got myself entangled in a whirlwind of all that girlish stuff. And naïve as I was, I found making all those fancy walks and wearing glamorous dresses and high – I do mean very high! – heels on stage very thrilling and challenging. Yet with all the touches of class and sophistication, I had to stop and think if I was still my own self.
Perhaps, there was something more to this. Supposedly, in every beauty pageant, the interview or question and answer part is the most dreaded portion since one may end up finding herself at a loss for words. Definitely, a stutter of irrelevant replies is a major turn-off after showing how fantastic one was with her walk and dresses and smiles.
But this was where I felt comfortable. At last, I was given the chance to express myself and prove to the spectators that I was not but a package of vital statistics and a dazzling face. I brought out what had been bubbling within me after minutes of having nothing to do but prance around the stage with a winning smile while thinking all the time that what I really wanted to do was fling off the heavy shoes that had been hurting my ankles! I spoke and gladly found out I was still myself.
That event taught me a lot. I’ve gotten a deeper perspective of womanhood now. It is certainly not about how gorgeous one is with a very fashionable dress – it is far more than this. Rather, even more than the eloquence of voicing out the fantastic ideas spinning in one's head is the quality that blossoms from the depths of her being. Nothing can outshine the beauty from within. And nothing can ever outweigh the purpose these talents in display. It's not to show-off, but to glorify God’s name by using His gifts in the right way.
Honestly, I find it quite awkward to be writing these stuff as if I’ve walked this path so many times. I am still sixteen and have yet so much to learn. I still need a lot of growing up to do to fully understand a woman’s true self – from the depths of her desires to the zenith of her aspirations. However, I really believe that every girl deserves to have a taste of being the people's darling for even a matter of moments.
Thus I can say, we don’t need to be bewitching with our looks. The fact is that we are all beautiful (no matter what others say); we just need a little boosting up to bring this beauty out. Let us charm the people with that definite charisma – it’s how we project our personality with our words. Bear in mind that a head will never be called pretty if a good way of thinking is not paired up with it.
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The contributor aspires to be a woman of substance and wishes other girls to do the same. So when she hits the books, guys, think of it as part of her beauty secret.
2003 and lifted from:
http://sagada.org/teen/pageant/2004/01/its-not-what-you-see.html
Girls definitely dream to be anything but ordinary in this world where physical appearances tend to be the boss. Such dreams may include being the prettiest girl in the classroom, the most popular girl in the campus, or even the reigning queen.
As a typical girl, I do have many dreams. But these dreams never included having a crown set on my head for winning a beauty pageant. I had always regarded beauty pageants as fitted only for girls with perfect smiles, gorgeous bodies and striking faces. They were intended for girls who had the confidence to show a bit of flesh and worm their way to the judges’ approval and the crowd’s appreciation.
Fate had other plans. Somehow I got myself entangled in a whirlwind of all that girlish stuff. And naïve as I was, I found making all those fancy walks and wearing glamorous dresses and high – I do mean very high! – heels on stage very thrilling and challenging. Yet with all the touches of class and sophistication, I had to stop and think if I was still my own self.
Perhaps, there was something more to this. Supposedly, in every beauty pageant, the interview or question and answer part is the most dreaded portion since one may end up finding herself at a loss for words. Definitely, a stutter of irrelevant replies is a major turn-off after showing how fantastic one was with her walk and dresses and smiles.
But this was where I felt comfortable. At last, I was given the chance to express myself and prove to the spectators that I was not but a package of vital statistics and a dazzling face. I brought out what had been bubbling within me after minutes of having nothing to do but prance around the stage with a winning smile while thinking all the time that what I really wanted to do was fling off the heavy shoes that had been hurting my ankles! I spoke and gladly found out I was still myself.
That event taught me a lot. I’ve gotten a deeper perspective of womanhood now. It is certainly not about how gorgeous one is with a very fashionable dress – it is far more than this. Rather, even more than the eloquence of voicing out the fantastic ideas spinning in one's head is the quality that blossoms from the depths of her being. Nothing can outshine the beauty from within. And nothing can ever outweigh the purpose these talents in display. It's not to show-off, but to glorify God’s name by using His gifts in the right way.
Honestly, I find it quite awkward to be writing these stuff as if I’ve walked this path so many times. I am still sixteen and have yet so much to learn. I still need a lot of growing up to do to fully understand a woman’s true self – from the depths of her desires to the zenith of her aspirations. However, I really believe that every girl deserves to have a taste of being the people's darling for even a matter of moments.
Thus I can say, we don’t need to be bewitching with our looks. The fact is that we are all beautiful (no matter what others say); we just need a little boosting up to bring this beauty out. Let us charm the people with that definite charisma – it’s how we project our personality with our words. Bear in mind that a head will never be called pretty if a good way of thinking is not paired up with it.
----------
The contributor aspires to be a woman of substance and wishes other girls to do the same. So when she hits the books, guys, think of it as part of her beauty secret.