What You’ve Got Is All You’ve Got – But It’s Probably Much More Than You Think

I’m no beauty and although I ‘brush up OK’, for much of my life Oh boy have I wanted to be pretty – to be the one men gaze at because they can’t help themselves and women look at wistfully, just like I did when one of those natural lovelies walked past. For years I’ve looked in the mirror and seen all the podgy bits and the bits that I’d love to change if I had the courage and the money.

And from time to time the fact that I had been missed out when the wow factor ‘goodies’ had been given out was rammed home when someone said something a little cruel or critical – often unintentionally, but the comments always hit hard. Like the time I was organising a major launch of a new venue and the glitzy show was underway. The dancing girls had just come off stage and were lining up for the publicity photo – all sparkling leotards, long legs and perfect teeth. Looking on in total awe I said to a colleague, “Aren’t they amazing – I never looked like that even when I was their age” and he said … “But you’ve got personality”. Now I know he meant well, but at that moment I would have traded every ounce of personality to look like one of those dolly dancers, just for a few minutes.

But as time has passed, while I still catch myself occasionally wondering what my life would have been like if I’d been one of the beautiful people, I have come to understand that a little child that is hurt and needs comfort doesn’t care whether their comforter is pretty – they just want to feel safe and loved. And the little cat that curls up contentedly on your lap and purrs itself to sleep, trusts you enough to do that not because of your looks, but because you are warm and kind. So what I’ve got is all I’ve got and I am very thankful for that – because it’s a lot. In fact it’s a lot more than many – even the pretty ones - because I have a gift – the gift of realising my value to others. Everyone can have the same gift – you just need to think about yourself differently.

‘Count your blessings’ is an easy thing to say but very hard to do, especially when times are tough. But blessings come in many forms and being nice to know, being reliable, being considerate and kind are all blessings. So take another look at yourself – this time not with your eyes, but think what others value about you – and you may well find you are one of the beautiful people after all.