Light is Right?

Pictured: Oscar nominated actress, Lupita Nyong'o

What is beauty? Who is defined as beautiful in society? We've all been there. That moment when you look in the mirror and question your beauty. I know I've been there. I remember growing up constantly questioning the way I looked. My main focal point of self criticism was my skin color. I thought I was too dark. Dark wasn't pretty to me. I used to hide from the sun longing to be lighter and look for soaps that would change my skin color. I used to envy my peers with lighter skin. They got all the compliments, they got all the attention, they seemed to excel in everything. 

I did not really have many role models of the darker skin tone to look up to. I had women in my family but as beautiful as they were to me, their influence did not count in my mind. I wanted to look to hollywood, celebrities and music videos. And all that was in my  peripheral view was light skinned, long haired, seemingly perfect women.  I wanted to emulate that image but being that bleaching my skin wouldn't provide the result I was looking for, I was stuck in my own skin. For years I dealt with insecurity and depression because I felt I wasn't physically up to par in the beauty department. It wasn't until after college that I began to embrace my looks and began to notice my beauty both inward and outward. 

Now as an adult I think back and wonder why was I so hung up over my looks? If everyone looked the same this world would be pretty bland. Now thankfully the perception of beauty is evolving. When I see women like Tika Sumpter & Lupita Nyong'o grace the big screen I inwardly smile wishing they were around in my younger years. 

Beauty isn't bottled nor is it confined to one specific definition. Beauty is in a smile. It's in laughter. It is in intelligence. It is in personality. It is in the heart. Beauty is... each and everyone one of you.  

Embrace it :-)