My Campaign For Real Beauty

"I testify that He loves each of us--insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn't measure our talents or our looks;... He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other."
-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

As promised, here begins my campaign for real beauty, where I celebrate those who have shown me what real beauty is and can be.

Introducing
*my beautiful mother*



Shelley

My mother learned how to work hard growing up on a farm, and taught me the satisfaction that comes from work.

She taught kindergarten for a few years and was a favorite of the school principal. Years later, that principal told my grandma he thought it was a waste that such a good teacher stay at home with her children when she could have touched the lives of many more children as a teacher. Mom didn't agree, and for this I will be eternally grateful, because my childhood was supremely happy and secure.

As a child I remember mom would sit at the piano for a few minutes every now and then and play the primary songs. As the music drifted through the house, so did a sweet feeling of peace and happiness that lingered long after she had left the piano.

When we were small, she would lay in bed with us and tell us bedtime stories from memory--tales her mother told her about the buttermilk slide and a little brownie who lived in the cellar and left a trail of soot all over the clean white tablecloth. As I grew, my mother would sometimes set aside her unswept floors to come in my room at bedtime and listen to the musings of a fifth-grader. I treasured those times.

My mother has beautifully graceful handwriting. People just don't write like that anymore. She is the same way about her house. It is neat and orderly. I never appreciated how much that affects the tone of a home until I had my own. It was time she could have had to herself, but she chose to give us something wonderful instead.



And now, thoughts from Shelley...

What personality traits do you share with other family members?

I share some traits with my father and paternal grandmother. I think we are all shy and reserved. It has been hard for me to overcome this and I still struggle with it. I wish I felt more comfortable in social situations and was more confident in my abilities. My father overcame some of his shyness. He filled many offices and callings in his life. I wish I could be more like him.

What do you love about your mother?

One thing I love about my mother is she has such a strong testimony of the Gospel. She always wants to talk about the church and she has a lot of faith. She has given up five years of her life to come and be with me. She is truly an example of service and sacrifice and I have relied on her strong testimony to see me through difficult times.

What is your favorite tradition?
My favorite tradition is celebrating Halloween. I love the Fall season and the sunny days and cool nights. I love Fall colors, especially the changing leaves. Halloween has always been one of my most favorite holidays. I love the whole concept of dressing up in some magical costume and going out door to door to get treats.

What do you like about your appearance?
I was thin for many years of my adult life. This was something that made me feel good about myself. I don't think I have a particularly beautiful face, but I always felt I had a nice smile.

What are some things you admire about yourself?
I am honest--I try to be truthful with others. I can be quite determined at times, even stubborn. I am told that I am a good cook and I enjoy a clean house.

What makes you feel strong?
My husband. He always encourages me and has used the Priesthood to bless me so many times.

What inspires you?
I am inspired by a good book written by a leader in the church. I think I have read almost every book in the Kaysville library's religious section. One of my favorite books is written by Ardeth Kapp about the temple.

What do you find joy in creating?
I find joy in creating a meal for my family where they can sit down together and enjoy each others company and talk about the day's events and look into each others faces.

When I lived in Colorado I joined a Family Home Evening group and we exchanged stories, gospel principle lessons and visual aides that could be used to teach our children during Family Home Evening. This allowed me to be creative and use some artistic talents. I enjoyed getting to know the other ladies in the group and it was a positive experience for me.

What do you want to be?
I always wanted a large family and I always wanted to be a good mother. I don't think I have always succeeded in doing this, but I love my children and am proud of their accomplishments and their goodness.

What is something you would like to explore or be?
A goal I have had for some time is to learn to play the violin. I haven't found it to be the right time yet but I would like to learn.

Friends can have a powerful influence on our feelings about our own beauty and body image. Share an experience you have had where a friend was important in making you feel beautiful.
My experience of having a friend make me feel beautiful came mostly from young men I knew. One of the elders in my mission told me that he thought I was the best looking sister in the mission. There were several nice-looking sisters in the mission so I felt this was a real compliment.

What is your favorite beauty "product" - something you do/put on/follow that makes you feel good about your appearance, be it physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual:
Clothes that make me look thinner -- it's a challenge.

How do you define beauty?
Beauty to me is to have a love of self that radiates from within, an inner confidence that lets people know that you are comfortable with yourself and your own abilities.

My mother holding baby me, 1981
I think she looks stunning.