“This I Believe”- Inner Beauty Got Some Muscle
I believe in inner beauty and that whatever a person wears, whatever their size, or whatever the person is, they are still considered beautiful. In this world today a person only cares about what a person appears on the outside instead of focusing more on one’s character. People know it and everyone does it. The skinnier the better, the more revealing the more attention, and the more a person looks a certain way the more so called “friends” that person gains. But if a person doesn’t follow some type of trend or some type of stereotype that person is considered an outcast, a freak to society. So in order to fit in some people starve themselves so that they could be skinny or purchase items that thousands of ads tell them to buy just to look a certain way.
I remembered when I was in elementary school there was a little girl who was chubby, wore sometimes tight clothes, had braces, and sometimes a zit here and there. She was what some people would label unattractive. I remember a group of kids picking on her because of what she looked like and, of course like any other child, broke down in tears. When I sat down next to her and asked her if she was going to tell on them she simply replied in a cracking voice “I’m better than that and I know I’m beautiful.”
I was born into a Vietnamese-American family, being the first generation of my family to be born in the land of free means that I could make something of myself, but unluckily that opportunity comes with great expectations. Over the years I started to become overweight and due to the news and articles about obesity my parents became worried so they kept on telling me that I needed to exercise, that I was fat, that handsome boys find love, and that I would last to see my 60s. It wasn’t until 7th grade came around that this topic really bothered me. It was a great year for me and I thought nothing bad could ever possibly come up until it happened. I had PE with this person and every time in the locker room when I changed he would call me “fat man” or “fat china man”, and it got to the point that I couldn’t stand it anymore. So one day when he passed me and called me “fatty” like he always did I pushed him, but instead of walking away with pride I ended up on the floor with his knee on my chest and his friend laughing at me.
I started contemplating suicide a lot and had long periods of time in front of the mirror. I kept asking myself “am I a monster?” or “am I that hideous?” It wasn’t until one day someone’s kind words made me realize I didn’t need to care about what these people were telling me and that I didn’t need to believe that I was a monster because I’m not. After that moment I felt better about myself and realized I’m better than that and I know I’m beautiful no matter what.
It doesn’t matter how a person dresses, how big they are, or who the person is, there is always inner beauty that people cannot judge on looks. I believe that in ways inner beauty can give people inner strength. Beauty is skin deep and can never be determined on the outside. A person that does judges other on the outside doesn’t gain anything but ignorance. What a person wear, size, or whatever you are, you are still considered beautiful.