What makes something (or someone) beautiful in the eyes of one beholder and so sort of not too special in the eyes of another?That's a fair question. I really don't understand it. Personal preferences and perspective seem so odd to me. I mean, you'd think a guy would either be goodlooking, or he wouldn't. A woman would either be pretty, or she wouldn't.
Wayne and I had a good friend from Samoa who thought Southern Utah was the most gorgeous place on earth. Southern Utah? Is he kidding me? He grew up in Samoa...that's the Pacific Islands, for Pete's sake! White crested turqouise water, mountains weeping moisture from moss covered rocks into open mouthed pools below, a myriad of coconut laden and flowering trees, orchids, white ginger, ...fresh pineapple. Yet, he found scorched sand, dried sage brush, scorpions, and parched cedar brush beautiful.
What would cause something like that?
Have you ever been shopping with a good friend and shuddered at the new blouse she bought? My sisters are always an interesting experience for me to shop with ...and for. Wanda Lee likes to dress like a gypsy on steriods, (baubles, beads, free flowing fabrics in wild colors, rings on every finger, false eyelashes, red lipstick, and rhinestones in her long, black tresses) She's our vibrant personality. Shirley dresses like a polygamous wife, (neck covered up to the earlobes, long sleeves, very 50's colors, prints, and styles, no make-up) She's the epitome of purity. Marlene dresses like a fading southern belle, (big skirts, lacey blouses, big bows in her hair, light lipstick, pinched cheeks, and occasionally a little mascara for a big affair) She is the classic, virtuous woman....and I dress very Banana Republic, Gap. (Plain shirts and fitted pants in earth tones, small gold earrings, natural fabrics...and yeah, make-up...the whole gamut, in natural tones) Basically boring. We all gag when we go through one another's wardrobes... and often into one another's homes.
We grew up together, same mom bought us our school clothes, lived with the same lamps and drapes in the living room. We attended the same charm school and had the same woman teach us how to apply our make-up. How did we get so diverse in our tastes?
Even our men are different. We have a blustering old fart, a workaholic, an intellectual, and a down to earth, laid back, outdoorsy guy. It just seems so odd.
I don't even know why I'm bringing all of this up. It was just on my mind, I guess. And, please don't get me wrong. I'm never embarrassed by any of my sisters...they always look very presentable, quite attractive, really. It's just that what's pretty to one, isn't necessarily pretty to the other.
Oh, except, Chandi standing in fall leaves. Now, THAT'S just a universally pretty sight.
7 comments:
hurrah another blog from my favorite oh so creative with words, home decorating and everything else she sets her hand at friend. Love your flowing words describing the isles of the sea then your stark constrast with Utah's landscape. I love both and all the variety that is here to appreciate in our world. You certainly have a way with words-let me guess which husband is yours certainly not the old fart, perhaps the intellectual but probably the laid back casual type. You two blend nicely together yet are different enough to create interest in your relationship. Great blog, my friend.
Those preferences can be a real adventure. I am thinking of the experience of meeting dear friends' true loves. Eek and egads and oh no. It's a real test sometimes--and an eye-opener to discover something new in an old friend. A healthy challenge, to say the least!
Charm school, huh. I had to learn to be charming all on my own.
My sisters and I have different tastes and styles, but not so extreme as yours. The trick, of course, is to be secure enough in your own self that you don't need to judge others. Then anything and everything can be cool. Sounds like you have achieved such a state of being.
BTW, I find the sand stone formations of the national parks and starkness of the dessert of southern Utah to be beautiful, too, but to visit not to live there.
Someome wise once saif "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". I guess it's true.
Isn't life strange? [That's a Moody Blues song!}
Aren't you glad that you're you!!
Enjoyed your post[always do].
At the moment I have no words of wisdom. Maybe tomorrow.
Chandi is very beautiful!!!! Hmmm..You do have a way of making me think Caryn. My sister is very different from me especially in that she is very laid back and I am not. I don't know..birth order, genetics..it is interesting though...Oh..and I went to Charm school too..It didn't take. LOL..LOL..LOL..LOL..
I guess it's all 'in the genes' and the genes got split many different ways. Each one of you got a bit of this or that. Isn't that great! Like I said before, I don't have sisters. But if I did - one that is just like me would drive me batty - like I do to the people in my life. LOL
Chandi is an amazing site.
You made me think of my sister...who's 5 years younger than I am. When we were young, she would always mix pinks and oranges, blues and greens and back then no one did. But Debi did. I gagged then. Today I would wise I could wear vibrant colors, be gypsy like. But I am just the classic dresser and wish I could be more so. But I love purses and shoes and makeup. Not all my daughters do but there!...my 5 girls are very much different from each other....well, 1 daughter and 1 d-i-l are the same. Thanx for causing me to think. You do well with this.
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