9 Jun 2011

BEAUTY IS .......

........ A stormy sky.


Many thanks to Betty of CUT AND DRY for allowing me to use this photograph - just one of many beautiful images, I was spoilt for choice.


Whilst visiting my blogger buddies I came across THIS POST in which Tomz, in his blog, Vanity Moments, mentioned this quote .....


Real beauty is the beauty of soul.

Which got me thinking of the quote ....

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Often quoted by my nana, I wondered on its origins.

Attributed to the great philosopher PLATO, UsingEnglish.com explains it as meaning ....

Different people will find different things beautiful and that differences of opinion don't matter greatly.

Hmm,all very interesting when in fact the quote is in fact a misquote and what Plato actually said is ......



Remember how in that communion only, 
beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may.

A bit of a mouthful, you can understand why it is often misquoted.



Anyway, enough of my witterings, all of this got me to thinking about beauty and whether it is something very physical ... something we can see (an elderly couple walking hand in hand), smell (freshly washed laundry) and/or touch (a pebble smoothed by the tides of the sea) OR as HELEN KELLER said .....



The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

So come on, I've shared some of my thoughts, what do you behold as beautiful?


18 comments:

Betty Manousos said...

what an inspiring post, Tracy!
great quotes to live by, too. :)

I do LOVE it, as I love all of your posts for your feelings and beauty come through in your work.

big hugs!!

betty xx

serendipity_viv said...

Lovely post Tracy. We are all different and see beauty in things that other may not. I love the picture, I find it very inspiring.

Betty Manousos said...

...and my answer to your question:

I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful!

big hugs!
betty xx

Carol said...

Hi Tracy,

thought provoking today.

I do think this is one thing they need to teach in PSHE lessons at school.

carol

Misha said...

Wonderful and thoughtful post, Tracy!
I have to agree with Betty - a smiling face never fails to be beautiful.

Arti said...

Hey Tracy thats a great post, loved the quote by Helen Keler...
As for what I think is beautiful you read my post on real beauty a couple of weeks ago ;-)
Have a wonderful day:)

My Gallery of Worlds said...

Funny, I just said this the other day, but..Pretty is as Pretty does.. when someone acts with virtue, honesty, loyalty, and empathy for others, that's very beautiful to me :D Wonderful post!

kiran sawhney said...

Amazing post. enjoyed reading it.
Thanks for your comment.

Patti said...

That is a mouthful. I can see why they shortened it.

To me beauty is a day in the mountains with my family.

Monalisa said...

Beauty to me is either utter illusion or total reality. When we say something is beautiful, someone else might call it ugly. yes, beauty is the way you percieve it.

Amrit said...

To me beauty is beautiful hear.

Beautiful post on beauty PW:)))

sm said...

beautiful post

Revd. Neal Terry said...

Dawn French.

Kelly said...

Beauty is hard to define, but I think I'm most often inspired by nature and the lovely things that God (in my beliefs) gives us.

Betty does share some wonderful photos, doesn't she?!

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

Such a pretty post with wonderful thoughts. Thanks!

Suko said...

Wonderful post! I love the ending quote. I think it's from Helen Keller.

Kavita Saharia said...

What a beautiful picture !To me simplicity of heart ,honesty,friendship and love is beautiful.The last quote touched my heart :):)

purplume said...

Once in a workshop, they told us to go out and find something ugly.
To my amazement, I discovered when you study something, it's beauty becomes apparent.
I looked at accumulations of junk in street drains, etc. and everything became beautiful in some way. Try it.
But don't be hasty, study each 'ugly' thing to see why it is so.