Beauty

An overwhelming phrase that was said to me a lot in China - “you are very beautiful”...

I’ve never been told that more times in my life than on this trip... whether I’d had stage hair and make up done or I’d had two hours sleep after karaoke and smudged on some mascara on the plane in the morning (this photo!).

Being here I have been so lucky to have met and made many friends from all over the world. We’ve had many conversations about our lives, cultures and what lights us up. We’ve also talked about what beauty is for us. Usually a transient and unattainable thing... Typically we want what we don’t have... grass is always greener right? We criticise and pick at ourselves. But while we are doing this, someone else is looking at us with great admiration.

One thing that’s for sure is that there is beauty all around us and beauty within us all. Beauty isn’t perfect. Imperfect is so much more interesting. And imperfect parts can certainly make a beautiful whole.

- photo taken in front of a BEAUTIFUL mosaic wall at Marisfrolg, Shenzhen, China -architecturally designed by Architecture Van Brandenburg