Love is never ugly

"Or stay like this forever...as aggressively unattractive outside as you are inside."

"My dad always said how much people like you is directionally proportional to what you look like."

[quotations taken from "Beastly"]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

...Love is never ugly.

Surrounded by a culture where we are defined by our appearance and popularity, it is easy to think that substance is rated below style. It is easy to think that if we are less than the perfect super model or the GQ man then we are less lovable than those who are. Often, people mistakenly believe that outward beauty and love are intimately connected. The error of this type of thinking is that love is utterly disconnected from our appearance - it has absolutely nothing to do with it. In fact, I would argue that it is impossible to love a person solely based on what they look like. It is possible to lust after a person for only that reason; it is possible to like being seen with them for that reason. But love is something completely different from either of these emotions and cannot be inspired simply by physical appearance. Love can be bestowed upon any individual no matter their appearance. And, even if they are outwardly considered to be ugly, if you love them, they will appear truly beautiful to your eyes. But this beauty will be based on your love and, as a result, will not fade when time steals away their youthful appearance. It will last as long as your love does, and grow even more evident to you as your love grows stronger. Others may not see it, but you will. And for others whose eyes are open to such things, watching the interactions of two people who love each other, no matter what they look like, is one of the most beautiful things in existence. Love can make anyone beautiful. Love is never ugly.