Real Women Please Take Note

Thank-you Cindy Crawford.  Real women please take note.

     I was watching good Morning America on a recent snow day.  There was a segment about Cindy Crawford's non-retouched lingerie photo that was leaked out on Twitter.  It seems that the photo was leaked from Marie Claire magazine Mexico and Latin America.   This photo shows super model and fashion icon Cindy Crawford with a real-women body in lingerie and a fur coat.  Cindy doesn't look PERFECT.  She has a little pouch tummy, cellulite and discolored and uneven colored skin.
    So the buzz seemed to be about the imperfect Cindy Crawford.  Should the buzz have been about seeing glimpses of the real and aging body of 48 year old Cindy Crawford?
     I can't help but examine all of this deeper.  What is beauty and who defines what beauty is?  Does Facebook, Instagram, magazines, celebrities, cosmetic and drug manufacturers contribute to defining what we think beauty is?  And should they?  Are so many of us picking up the message that we have to look a certain way to be beautiful?  And, if we don't look just right, we aren't beautiful?  This can make us become self-conscious about our bodies.  And, if we don't look right, do we emotionally think we are weak and not acceptable?  I think we are getting some very powerful messages. Messages that are sad and toxic.  I think that a lot of 40,50 and 60 plus year old women seem desperate to look younger, and to be beautiful, as defined by social media and so many other sources.
     Beauty shouldn't be about having an unwrinkled face, a bikini body shape, perfect white teeth and a head of non graying hair.  The women who are fighting on the front lines for our country, saving lives from cancer and other deadly diseases, raising and teaching our children, to mention just a few, these are truly the women of beauty.
     This morning turned into another snow day.  And, once again I was watching Good Morning America.  This time there was a segment about Monica Bellucci.  She happens to be the 50 year old Italian actress who was just cast as the latest Bond Girl.  Or, should I say the latest Bond Women. This is the first time that the Bond love interest has been 50 years old.  Two quotes were stated during this segment.  "Beauty isn't about having a pretty face.  It's about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and a pretty soul."  And, " A mature woman doesn't loose her charm."
     Cindy Crawford doesn't look perfect.  Nor does anyone that I know.  Whatever our age, we need to realize that beauty is only skin deep.  We need to embrace who we are and what we represent and have accomplished. And, know with pride and self love that this is enough.  This is beautiful.

Valentine's Day 2015

Valentine's Day ?

Valentine's Day is almost here.  I can't help but be reminded of love.  It seems to be all around me. I overhear chatter at the office and at the gym.  Then there's Hallmark cards, florists, jewelers, clothiers, chocolatiers, and the food industry, who all love this day. And, let's not forget the images of cupid and hearts on e-mail advertisements , in the newspapers, in magazines, on Facebook and on TV.

What is Love?  It's a deep romantic feeling.  It's a strong affection for another.  It's a fondness. It's an intimacy.  It's a deep passion. It's an infatuation. It can heal. It can nourish. It can empower. It's delightful. It can hurt.  You can love a person or love a thing.

It's a floppy , shaggy  puppy and a devoted, loyal dog of 12 years.  It's an 85 year old couple holding hands and shuffling together ever so slowly.  It's the look of a mother holding a peaceful , swaddled infant in her arms. It's a hug from a special friend after you share your deepest, darkest secret and have fallen apart. It's chocolate.  It's Louboutin shoes.  It's your favorite football team winning the Super Bowl.  It's Bogie and Bacall.  It's watching a beautiful butterfly flutter around on a peaceful sunny summer day. It's watching the pure white snow fall outside as you are indoors in a warm , safe place.  It's a fresh doughnut.  It's your 88 year old Dad telling you a hilarious joke.  It's your 27 year old daughter sending you a card and telling you that she loves you.  It's your 23 year old daughter coming home for this weekend and giving you a huge, heartfelt hug upon seeing you. It's a ballerina dancing or a handicapped Olympian winning the gold.  Actually, it's just so many, many things. And seems to come in so many different flavors.

From love can come intense feelings of peace, contentment, security and euphoria.  From love can come intense feelings of darkness and sadness.  It seems to be a cycle.

I love this quote about love: " Love as though you have never been hurt before." And, I grew up with this one:"All you need is love."

Whatever love is to who ever wants to try and describe it, it is after all, their own unique love.  It appears that we can't live without love and it does seem to be all around.

Hotflashfinds wishes all of you a day filled with your own special and unique love.
xoxo Hotflashfinds