The Beauty of the Body

As I've been spending days on the gentle sands of the beach, I've been observing.  As the waves crash, I've been watching.

Watching nature.

There are families. Big families. Small families. Couples. Young couples. Older couples. Cousins. High schoolers. Babies. Toddlers. Grandparents. Mothers. Fathers.


There are bodies of all sizes. Taller. Shorter. Leaner. Softer. Lighter. Darker.

I've continually come to the same conclusion each day.

The body may make the person happy, but the value of the identity within makes the person joyful.

The most joyful women tend to be the ones running around in the sand, never sitting down, applying sunscreen, building the 20th sand castle, and pulling out the baggie of snacks. They apologize when they make mistakes, they grab the moment to teach or discipline when it'd be easier to just let it go. As soon as they sit down for a respite, they are needed. They are wanted.

The most joyful women tend to be the ones devouring a book, snacking, and taking in the breeze.

I want to note that the same occurs for many engaged fathers/husbands.

There is a gentle calmness. They are not continually taking selfies (they may not even know what one is), fixing their hair, rolling over, looking for guys, fixing their swimsuit, spending time on their phone, covering their body, or sitting stiff in their beach chair.


The joyful women laugh into the salty breeze. They are grateful for the moment. So, they make the 21st sand castle with a moat.

Ann Voskamp recently blogged: "Please hear me, Girl: The world has enough women who know how to do their hair. It needs women who know how to do hard and holy things.

The world has enough women who live a masked insecurity. It needs more women who live a brave vulnerability."

These joyful women on the beach aren't artificial in their body, but rather sacrificial.  It's pure beauty to watch. Pure inspiration.

I wonder the difference between the women. How did the differences develop? How is the lady so joyful and embracing of her body? How is this lady not? How is this lady joyful in these moments?

I came up with these thoughts:

• A woman gets to make a choice...happiness or joyful? skinny or healthy? tan or helping my child see dolphins for the first time?
• A woman's husband...does the husband embrace and encourage? or disengage and ignore?
• A woman's background...naturally, the psych major in me knows this plays a pivotal roll.

And, sure, there are more factors. And, sure, there's some outlier lady who overcomes all these notions. 

Then, I think generationally. 

It goes deeper. Our future is here on this sandy beach.

It's a cycle just as the tides are.

Research shows children typically model their parents. Will the little girls love their bodies? Will they be joyful? 

Ultimately, it's right here on the beaches of the coast that the bonds of family may grow and overcome the media portrayals of healthy and happy. 

Moral of the Story: Beauty doesn't live in your skin. Beauty lives in the lining of your heart. ~Ann Voskamp