Saturday, March 31, 2012

Beauty and The Beast

While sitting in Salt Lake’s Capitol Theater Saturday night, watching the theatrical production of “Beauty and The Beast,” I was reminded of its timeless message of focusing on the ‘inner beauty,’ rather than the outward appearance.

The play revolves around a prince who has been transformed into an ugly beast, and a young woman named, Belle, imprisoned in his castle. To become a prince again, the beast must fall in love with Belle and win her love in return, or he will remain a beast forever.

In a world filled with Beasts—war and violence, bullies and social pressure, deadlines and high expectations, it is sometimes difficult to ‘see’ the Beauty all around us. Confucius, the Chinese philosopher, said, “Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.” True beauty is a magical gift of transformation that must be ‘felt with the heart’ before it can be seen. It is a gift of love with “mystical powers,” capable of altering the world, just like Belle’s love changed The Beast.

Perhaps our gift of transformation to one another can be a kind word, a smile, or a thoughtful act of service to someone in need. And as each person pays that gift of love forward, together we can revolutionize the world!

There is Beauty All Around

A Baby’s Smile

A Sunset

A Magical Moment

Walking Side by Side Through Life

A Grandmother’s Love

A Single Bloom

Bonded Sisters

A Family Reunion

A Child’s Artwork

A Celebrated Life

“Surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it. . . . However many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines.” ~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (“The Laborers in the Vineyard,” General Conference, April 2012)