Define Beautiful: Star

What is beautiful? When Natalie invited me to write this post, I thought I had a strong grasp of how I define beauty. But it was so much more difficult than I expected, because I realized that beauty is everywhere and everything. It’s subjective. It’s unique. It’s not something that can be defined so simply as a Colgate-white smile, perfectly flawless skin, and Kate Middleton’s shiny hair.

Kate Middleton is beautiful.

But so is the girl in Panda Express on Friday night with no make-up, glasses, an all pink sweat suit (different shades of pink, mind you), and her wet hair wrapped up in a bun. She’s beautiful because she embraces who she is – her natural beauty – and isn’t trying to hide under layers of foundation, eye shadow, and blush.

Beautiful is the artist covered in acrylics, her hair in a messy bun, with mismatched clothes and an old, ripped concert tee splattered in paint. It’s her passion, her excitement, her love for what she does that radiates from the inside and makes her beautiful.

Beautiful is the disheveled lawyer, slaving away into the early hours of the night, because she loves the feeling of accomplishment. It’s the satisfaction and pride she gets from her work, and the feeling that she’s making a difference in the world. It’s the hours of blood, sweat and tears that give her a sense of achievement and pride. Beautiful is never giving up on her dreams.

Beautiful is confidence, a sense of self, inner contentment, happiness. It’s being unique and embracing your quirks. It’s not a pre-packaged beauty queen with no life behind her smile. It’s individuality. Originality. Character.

To me, beautiful is the little things in life. It’s warmth, simplicity, kindness. The love you can see in my parents’ eyes after twenty-one years of marriage. The look of adoration of my aunt as she watches her little girl take her first steps. The family dinners filled with love, laughter, stories, and unforgettable memories.

It’s moments of love and kindness that are most beautiful.

But beautiful can be much more than that. I see beauty as those simple things in life that make me happy. Cowboy boots and summer dresses. Antique fabric and vintage jewelry. Old Ford trucks and drive-in movies. Messy hair and rainbow nails. My favorite worn-in jeans and picnics in the park. Prairie fields and star gazing.

I feel beautiful in my old worn-in jeans, a plain white tee, and cowboy boots driving nowhere on windy country roads, my hair blowing in the wind as I sing my heart out to Kenny Chesney. I feel beautiful when I’m in my element, at peace with myself and my life, and laughing at life’s never-ending ability to surprise me.

- Star

Star is my classmate and I call her my “little sister” because we have so much in common! We had every class together this semester — five classes! — and we hung out in Hong Kong. She just started a blog and it is the only blog out there that explains hedge funds and how to make the perfect chocolate cake. Also, she’s starting law school after finishing her MBA in August. Amazingness.

The Beautiful Project: More definitions of beautiful, posted on Thursdays. Send me your answer to “what makes you feel beautiful” to natalie at thebobbypin.com.