She wore diamonds on the inside

I was shocked chatting with a 50+ year old woman...After 27 years of marriage her husband rolled over one morning and decided he didn't like the idea of lying beside a 50 something year old woman! He put down the way she looked, totally crushing her confidence and self worth, at the realisation his wife wasn't young anymore.

O my goodness i don't know if he's having a mid-life crisis of what?! My mother and I commented to each other how stunning this woman is when we met her. He has no grounds for his criticism other than she's grown older, as this woman has by no means 'let herself go' ...She's gorgeous!

I read an article recently that compared Madonna's obsession to arrest the aging process with the 'gentle ravages of age' that have only softened the faces of other beauties.

My cousin made a great remark at my grandmothers 90th birthday; "An older woman's face is a reflection of the life she's lived on the inside!" Both my grandmothers the picture of true beauty; a softness and warmth written all over the lines on their faces.

Grandma at 90! I love it that she still gives attention to making sure she looks her best. Knowing what shade of eye-shadow she wants to buy, selecting earrings and a necklace to go with her outfit each day, checking her hair before she leaves her room. The woman of strength and dignity she is on the inside expressed outwardly.

Helena Rubenstein once said: "There are no ugly women, only lazy ones." I first read this statement earlier on in the year and thought; "Flip I'm lazy"...and have remembered it most times since when I've caught the reflection of my dishevelled self on a lazy day!!

Gosh, yep...effort required! But greater beauty i believe shines from the inside out...it can't be bought, applied, lathered on- as it comes from a deeper place.

The beauty of a heart at rest, joy bubbling over from within, content, loving, kind, seeing the best in others, laughing at days to come, comfortable in your own skin...beauty thats not just skin deep!

Staci Elderedge writes;

“Contrary to what the world claims, beauty does not diminish with time; Beauty deepens and increases. True beauty comes from a depth of soul that can only be attained through living many years well.”
She goes on to describe the most beautiful woman she’d ever met, explaining how something just clicked for her when encountering this gorgeous 75year old...
“I finally understood” she says “It takes that long to become that beautiful!”