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Mirror, Mirror


Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)

            A wise mama talking to her boy-prince about women. He would have money. He would have power. He would be good looking. All three of those are shiny. They would draw in barracudas. They’re beautiful and streamlined, effortless gliding through the water. And quick as a whip, they’re gone and he’s bleeding in the water, scarred for life. 
           Bathsheba had seen women in a king’s household. She knew the sort of games they played. Her husband had at least nine wives. She knew the temptations her son would face as king. Pretty faces fade, letting the true beauty, or ugliness, shine through. 
            I’ve seen memes advising people to stop telling children how cute they are. Tell them instead that they are courageous, or kind, or strong, or good at math. I’ve also seen memes asking whether a little girl with Downs’ Syndrome who is dressed like a model is cute. We’re supposed to like her because she’s cute. I’ve read posts by young authors who are looking for a picture of someone they can use for a character and had them comment that they are swimming in gorgeous guys. 
            Our society is so vain.  I remember seeing part of an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie in which he is an action character somehow brought into the real world, and he’s disgusted by how ugly people who don’t exist in his beautiful world are. Where are the supermodels working in a store? What was this average looking, thirty-pounds over-weight and 20 years past high school woman doing behind the counter? 
            We seem to be living in a society in which we’re supposed to pretend that every woman is a Disney Princess, and we have to make sure that they’re all slim, healthy, and beautiful. They turn to the mirror and ask the age-old Disney question, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Not remembering that Snow White didn’t bother with the mirror. The evil queen did.

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