The whole obsession and chasing of beauty baffles me. It seems that everyone I know is really unhappy with their physical looks. And at least half of them . . . more really . . . have undergone surgery to correct something that feels wrong. Don't get me wrong, I have many, many moments where I am unhappy with my looks. For instance, the other day I was looking through a friend's photos from a night when we went out to dinner. Instead of remembering how incredibly perfect my seared halibut over chickpea stew was or how the laughter we shared was more than perfect, I thought, well, there's the 15 pounds put on during the last year. It was right there. But at least I can pretend that the concern over the 15 pounds is about health, not beauty . . . .Right? All of this is swirling around in my head in part because I read segments of a Patricia Arquette interview. I love her. I've always loved her because she has this sense of herself that isn't always seen in Hollywood. She seems to have an I-make-no-bones-about-myself way. She just is who she is. She has curves and those look better than most of her shapeless counterparts. In the interview, she explains that she didn't feel like straightening her teeth for other people that said, "Oh you're so pretty. You should have your teeth straightened." I love this. I can relate so much. I wouldn't do braces even after someone in high school referred to me as Bugs Bunny. In college, my mom called saying, "This is your last chance. The dental plan only covers braces until you turn 18." No way! This is me, mom. This is who I am. They work. I regretted that as I got older, but have come back around to embracing them in the last year or so. I also didn't do makeup for a long time. I took the plunge into powder and gloss the last year at MTSU and finally a full-face after getting married. Today, I can barely leave home without said face and have often thought that if I were stranded on a desert island, I'd at least want mascara. But honestly, sometimes on a good day when I'm really hydrated and exfoliated, I think my face looks best in its natural state. I could go on and on with my love-hate relationship with my looks, but mostly, I'm ok with it . . . .at least ok enough to not have major surgery to change things. And there is plenty that could be changed. My nose is too big, my belly needs tucked, things need to be lifted, reduced, etc.. But what is the point? Are people really so unhappy with themselves? What's wrong with looking like yourself? Why do you need your bustline to be so many inches and your hair a different color and parts of your face to remain immobile? What is it about changing these things that makes your life so much better? If Kanye West's mom knew the alternative to dying would have been to live with her ugly parts, would she have accepted herself? I've only found 3-4 white hairs on my head, but I really want to embrace the whiteness when it comes. I imagine being like Bonnie Raitt with her super-power streaks. But who knows, maybe when it comes in all gray and ugly instead of snow white and beautiful, I'll break out some dye. But I like to imagine that I'll keep to my same ways and be ok with myself.  We'll see!