Real or Not?

Disclaimer:  It is not my intent to offend or criticize anyone with the procedures discussed in this blog post.  I am not against any of the listed procedures or look down on anyone who has undertaken them.  

It's no wonder why so many girls (and some boys) have so many body issues. Whether I'm at the beach, reading a magazine, watching tv or walking around town, I've observed so many women that most would consider to be perfect beauty.  I've often wondered if such true outer beauty and "perfection" is truly possible.  I've known for years that pictures in print should not be considered to be realistic.  After all, those women are airbrushed and Photoshopped to perfection.  Basically, they're not "real."

I've come to realize though, that in our current times of plastic surgery and fake everything, outer beauty really is more of a creation than reality for a good chunk of the American population.  Just about any procedure is available if you're willing to pay for it.  Breasts can be enhanced, tummy's tucked, cheek bones implanted, eyes lifted, cellulite removed, implants to the butt, etc.  The perfect body can be created by a surgeon.  To go even further, much more can be faked with hair extensions, color contacts, manicures, tattoo makeup and even eye lash extensions.  Botox and facelifts, can make one look 20 years younger.  Make-up can hide just about anything and/or enhance facial features, sometimes turning someone into a completely different looking person.  All you have to do is pick up a magazine containing "Stars Without Make-Up" to prove this point.  To find a "true natural beauty" is nearly impossible anymore.

After having my daughters, I'd look at pictures of celebrities who also just had babies that already looked like they did pre-baby.  I'm sure I could have looked like that too if I had money to pay for a private chef to create healthy, yummy meals and personal trainers to whip my body right back into shape.  They all have nannies to watch their children while they workout and get up in the middle of the night so mom can be well rested and have the energy to exercise for 3 hours each day.  They don't have to experience the sleep deprived, zombie-like state that the average new mother experiences, eating junk food that comes in boxes and bags in between naps, nursing and diaper changes.  I remember feeling like a successful day was a day that I got a shower and brushed my teeth twice.

Just about everything is fixable!  My thin, slow-growing hair can be corrected with hair extensions.  My scars from childbirth can be corrected with a laser or tummy tuck.  Just about anything I want changed can be done, but at what cost?  Even elementary aged girls are taking part in all that is available to them.  Girls are wearing make-up at younger ages, hair extensions are common and parents are presenting their teenagers with plastic surgery for their birthdays or graduation.  We are teaching our girls young, that their outer beauty makes them who they are in life. Now society wonders how we're creating young women with eating disorders, body image issues and a complete lack of self confidence.  Those that don't subscribe to the above mentioned procedures can't keep up!

As I already mentioned, I'm not criticizing anyone for taking part in any of these procedures.  After all, I wear make-up and color my gray hair.  However, I have tried my best to keep the appearance God gave me when He created me.  It's a choice I've made because I want my daughters to find their inner beauty above anything external.  I want them to develop Godly lives that strive to be more like Christ than the latest celebrity. 

Wouldn't it be great if the next time we, or our children, looked at someone and wished we looked like that, we'd see our own inner beauty and find that to be more beautiful?  After all, reality isn't what we see, it's what we don't see, it's the confidence that comes from within that really matters, not what can be created by man.