The True Love of Beauty

St Valentine is a significant part of this month of February. However, here is a fellow who there is a bit of confusion about.

Who really was this man? Was he the Christian Saint in Roman times… The lovers’ saviour, who secretly married couples whilst it was illegal. Who in effect ‘broke the rules’ to do what he felt was right by enabling loved ones to live together in ‘holy matrimony’, because Christian marriage was decreed illegal by The Emperor at the time. Did this really result in a not so happy ending for him, dying for what he believed in, refusing to denounce his beliefs, on the 14 February? Did he write that last letter to a judge or prison guard’s daughter whose blindness he cured, and sign it… ‘from your Valentine’! Who knows?

What is the truth? How do we know what the truth is? When something is written or said, how do we know it is actually true for everyone or at all? Details may become distorted over time, remembered incorrectly or even manipulated for a particular outcome. Memory and/or perception usually has a bearing.

I remember my Husband telling one of his famous stories about a certain adventure he had with one of his best friends involving an axe, a tree and a stranger!
Now… I had heard this story many many times over the years, so I had pretty much all the details down pat. So to my delight, when we were visiting the best friend in the story… I was fortunate to hear the story retold by this person.
After much laughing, there was then more laughing as my husband responded with his version. It was agreed amongst tears in our eyes that we would never know what actually happened, due to the FACT that the 2 stories varied with the significant punch line! Both guys continue to this day to swear their version was the ‘right’ one!! The only truth is that they were both there… or were they??!!!

This brings me to my story of the month…

The beautiful frog… not that I am comparing either of these Gents to a frog or debating their beauty! I hope you enjoy it and find some enlightenment…

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful frog called Lyla.

She would spend many hours lying on her lily pad gazing down into the water admiring her reflection.

“Oh why am I stuck in this dead end pond” she wondered as she absentmindedly flicked a bug that wondered across her lily pad.

“Ouch” came a faint cry snapping her out of her reverie. With a frown on her face, annoyed that something should interrupt her self-gazing, her eyes slowly shifting here there and everywhere for the owner of the disturbing sound.

Then she spotted it… on the lily pad next to her own, there lying on its back with its tiny legs flaying madly around.

She watched it for a moment, and stared at it lazily. Resting her chin in her hand, she continued to gaze at it, as it continued to flail its legs. She yawned as she stared.

“Well… are you going to help me, or just lie there looking pretty?” it asked her in a breathless squeaky voice.

“I haven’t decided yet” she replied, dreamily transfixed by this tiny creature.

“Well… I don’t appreciate being stared at, either help me, or turn away, if you wouldn’t mind. I dislike people seeing me vulnerable”.

“Vulnerable?” the frog replied enquiringly.

“Yes, vulnerable” it retorted indignantly.

“How would you like to be stuck on your back, unable to escape while being stared at?”

The little creature was doing remarkably well, communicating all the while being upsidedown.

Lyla considered this creature’s predicament, whilst continuing to stare at it. ‘Why can’t it just flip itself back over without help?’ she wondered to herself… ‘it’s easy’ as she herself rolled lazily over onto her back, now gazing at the fluffy clouds drifting over head.

“Are you showing off on purpose now to make me feel worse?” demanded the bug.

“No, of course not” she breathed effortlessly rolling back over to face it again, resting her chin on her hands once more resuming her lazy gaze.

“I was just demonstrating how easy it is to roll over and I was wondering why it is that you are unable to?” she continued explaining her thoughts.

“I am a beetle, that’s why!”

“So?” she questioned, what difference does that make?”

“Every difference, for goodness sake! I am completely different to you, are you seeing me??” bewildered, the little beetle having tolerated all that staring for nothing it appeared, as its voice was becoming wheezy and strained by the minute.

This seemed to snap Lyla out of her daydream state and her vision become clearer and sharp. She had gone from just looking, to actually seeing, and was now able to clearly see its body like she was seeing it for the first time.

She noticed how large its’ back was, and how tiny its legs were, and what she saw next completely shocked her…

… taking in all its’ details… her awareness was attracted to its tiny chest… It appeared to be doing something very strange…

… As she gazed more intently, which made it even more uncomfortable by the minute, she noticed a small movement under its’ skin. She leaned in to get a closer look… and…

Plop… she fell head first into the water! It was now her limbs flailing around in shock as she attempted to right herself in the cold water.

What happened next was astounding… the splash from her fall created a wave so big, that it threw the beetle from the lily pad. Lyla could hear it’s muted terrified scream even when her head was under the water, as it skyrocketed into the air…

Amongst all the chaos, it was like someone flicked a switch and time stood still… Lyla instantly became aware of an unusual feeling in her chest, which appeared to ignite her senses. She sprang into action with this new determination in her chest, like she was being guided by something powerful deep inside her. All at once, her lightning reflexes partnered with her agility, enabling her to shoot out of the water. She lightly used her lily pad as a spring board and soared into the air, powerfully stretching and elongating her whole body like it was smooth as silk.

She reached out as her hand cupped the frightened beetle, then easily arced gracefully down to land softly on a lily pad.

She carefully opened her fingers to see the tiny creature, staring wide eyed up at her.

She was aware of the movement in her chest once more. This time it felt stronger. Confused, with her puzzled expression, she placed her free hand on her chest in order to understand what was going on.

The little beetle blinked slowly.

“Thank you!” he managed to squeak, which brought her attention back to him.

“I feel funny” was all she could reply.

“There is a weird banging in my chest, is there something trapped inside me trying to get out?” she directed towards the beetle.

“Why, no” he simply said. “That is probably your heart”.

“My heart?” she repeated.

“Yes, your heart” he then repeated.

“What’s a heart and why is it doing what it is doing? I’ve never felt this before and I’ve certainly never moved like that before!” She enquired as she sat cross legged on the pad careful to cradle the beetle safely.

“Your heart is very special. What you are feeling is the beating of it pumping your blood around your body to enable you to move. You moved very fast just now” he continued. “Therefore, your heart needed to beat much faster so your body had the energy to do this.”

She considered this for a moment.

“So” she hung her head and blushed as her realisation took hold.

“I have lived my whole life believing my appearance, my beauty was the only important thing about me. Now I realise I have something so much more valuable… my heart.”

“Not only that” the beetle winked, feeling relaxed and calm himself once more.

“Your heart saved me because of something else.” Her quizzical gaze fell upon him silently as she waited for him to continue.

“Your heart saved me not because someone told you to, or because you thought you should. It saved me because of something much more powerful… it saved me because you felt and tapped into… Love and Compassion.”

For the first time in her life, Lyla felt whole. Never again did she spend hours of her day wasting away, gazing absentmindedly at her complexion, ensuring she looked pretty, and wanting to be somewhere else exciting.

She felt comfortable within her own body regardless of how she looked on the outside. Getting to know her heart filled her with meaning to her day, and what she was truly capable of.

She listened to her heart, which gave her the gift to acknowledge how she was feeling at any one time. She was able to act in a compassionate way both to herself and to others, enabling her to empty out any feelings that didn’t belong in a healthy heart.

Her days were filled with ensuring she was in tip top condition by eating healthy natural food, taking afternoon naps, doing whatever she felt she needed to do to recharge, and give herself the permission to be herself. All of this ensured she could be there for other beings when her heart guided her to them to provide what they needed and she could give at that time.

She was always grateful to the little beetle for helping her to wake up out of her empty life, and ‘leap frog’ into unknown adventures wherever and with whomever her heart guided her to.

The ~~End~~… NO… the ‘Beginning’! x

Maybe it is time to ask yourself…

Do I feel beautiful just as I am in my natural state? Whatever my gender identification is.

Can I see real heartfelt beauty in the depths of my eyes as I truly am now inside?

Is now a good time to empty out emotional and physical waste to clean up my relationship with myself?

Am I able to take time to delve deep into my heart and soul, to dig out, identify and get rid of any deep unwanted emotions or uncomfortable feelings I may have pushed down deep to hide my imperfections?

Am I able to own my flaws and love them just the way they are?

I wish us all the gift to lead from our hearts, to help our brain and body fall in behind to shed the burden, enable relaxation and give time to process over night when we are resting, digesting and detoxing.

I wish this to be true for you all…

“I stand strong as myself, my heart is full and a true leader of me, the best ‘Valentine’ I could ever wish for.”