Love Filled Shoes

This morning I was happy to see a news article on the Navajo Beauty Pageant. Billy Luther has produced a film about being Ms. Navajo. A film that shows that Beauty is about knowing yourself and knowing where you came from.

Luther should know because he comes from a long line of women who are Navajo, Leguna, and Hopi.

Beauty is very much internal, Luther says. What Navajos perceive as beautiful might not be beautiful to others, he said.

“It’s having the knowledge of your culture, it’s having respect for your mothers and grandmothers, it’s the language, fluency. As we say, that’s harmony, that’s what we strive for,” said Luther.

Why is the world so focused on looks? Sure a healthy body and clear skin has it’s benefits but why are we a culture that values looks over education.

This is one of the reasons why my life is not just focused on my appearance. Of course I want to be thin but I also want to have an education. When someone comments that I’m pretty I also want to say “Thank you and I have a Master’s degree too.”

Do I have enough drive and intelligence to obtain a Master’s degree is still to be seen but the degree is definitely one of my goals.