Do looks really matter???

There was once a man who resided in a village that was situated off the beaten path. In remote locations like these, the folk usually are completely oblivious about the hustling cities and the thriving populations of different kinds of people. There was also the lack of an efficient system of information transfer like televisions and newspapers. But in spite of all that there is one tool which is omniscient, used extensively and spreads information to the farthest of locations. The word of mouth. This man happened to hear a lot about the President of his country, and he was completely captivated by these facts. The thought of actually meeting the president or for that matter even salvaging a glimpse of his presence had embodied his mind and had fascinated him. So fuelled by his determination, he gathered all the money he could muster and set out on the promenade of experiencing the presence of the president.

With an outstretched journey involving multiple train rides and bus rides, he finally arrived at the President’s residence situated in the capital city. As he disembarked from the bus, he noticed that there was an extensive congregation that had gathered at the gates of the building. The city dwellers had assembled to view the President who was about to make an appearance at that very place. Now this man’s excitement knew no bounds. He would at least get to view the man he admired the most. He paved his way through the crowd and occupied the front spot. As he was hanging on to his hat with impatience, he noticed one of the onlooking city dwellers standing beside him.

He walked up to him and asked him with intrusiveness, ‘Have you ever seen the President? How does he look?’

The man replied with a subtle grimace, ‘Well, he’s not too tall, not too handsome and very average looking.’

Before the villager could react to the shocking comment passed by the man, the gates opened revealing the President who walked towards the villager with the most amiable and warm smile on his face and shook hands with him. He then asked him about his origin and his well-being affectionately. As the villager looked at the President, he thought to himself, who says this man isn’t handsome and who says he’s average? Someone who is unbiased of social status and can nonchalantly chat with a simpleton like the villager himself has to have the most benevolent heart ever!

The villager interacted with none other than the former president of India who is also known as the Missile Man of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.

Now I heard this short story recently and it got me thinking. There were three main characters, first the villager. The man who was absolutely relentless in his campaign of achieving his goal of meeting the president and who was also quite strong-willed and steady minded. This was because any opinion about the president did not sway his desire of interacting with him. Then there was the president. The most gracious and kind-hearted soul who had no boundaries of social status and who could converse with the simplest of people in the most affectionate manner possible.

But the character that is most retrospective is the city dweller. A person who not only was a strong pessimist and petulant, but was also atrociously judgmental. The one who valued the physical appearance more than the inner immaculateness of the president. The character looks and sounds loathsome but in reality, most of us unfortunately pertain to this character

It might sound false but this is a subtle reality of the modern world. We all are accustomed to judging a person by their physical appearance or by the state of their façade. Mostly we end up passing minor comments regarding the physical dimensions or the facial characteristics of others. Now it may seem that these comments are harmless and it's permissive to give them a nod. But in reality, such kinds of gestures are extremely supercilious and not only do they exhibit an authoritative sense of judgment, but they also rid the other person of the freedom of being oneself and emanating a desire to be what they want instead of what others demand. And that itself is a horrendous catastrophic situation because the person is on the receiving end of pain and dejection.

The other odious practice which has occupied the mind of some individuals is that they make most attempts to embellish themselves physically may it be using cosmetics, or any other means. This isn’t really a wrong thing to do. But the negligence in enhancing one’s inner soul is the reason why it becomes odious. External beatification is certainly profitable. It makes the person look more attractive. But then it is always bested by something that is dispassionate to all and that waits for none, Time. With time, all that external beauty withers away and the short-lived attractive appearance suddenly vanishes into oblivion

Contrary to this, inner purity is the actual gemstone that should be sought after. No matter how attractive a person looks externally, lack of inner purity reduces him or her to nothing more than an empty void of pretence. If a person is elegant and stainless in his soul, no matter how attractive the externals are, time will always be incapable in ridding him or her of that amicable soul that resides within.  A person who is at peace and is true to the soul internally doesn’t have to be conscious about his or her façade and is always going to be jovial.

But as an extremely wise soul has proclaimed, ‘Practice what you preach’. I am certainly not in the judge’s seat. I’m rather standing with my head bottom-ward. Even I consider myself, like most people to be guilty of committing the most appalling deed of commenting about physical aspects of the ones who are dear to me. It was the most moronic mistake which I now regret doing because unknowingly it might have supplied dismay to my near and dears. Most people use the curtains of joking behaviour or nonchalance but in reality, it is absolutely misconstrued practice. This habit has silently invaded our daily routine and will be a monster of our own making if we do not wake up to it and alter our words and actions accordingly.

So, I’m certainly not an expert on human behaviour. But nevertheless, as a conclusion, I would say this. The real admirability of a person comes from within and external beautification merely serves as a temporary option. So, each one of us has got a choice, to emphasize on external looks or our internal soul. Genuinely the people who choose the latter are extremely out of the ordinary and will always be an edge over the people who are constantly concerned about external looks.

Moreover, whenever people pass comments, they tend to believe in a set of parameters of physical dimensions which people need to follow and disregard the ones who don’t. But I have come to realize that such parameters do not exist and each and every individual is unique and solitary in their own way. Only one person can have the command of deciding the perfection of appearance. And that is that very person itself. Extra unnecessary opinions and comments belong to the dustbin

 I would like to utilize this post to express a heartfelt apology to all the people whom I have knowingly or unknowingly commented upon their physical aspects and caused pain to them. I would also like to give a huge shout out to all those special people who are unbothered by physical looks and who prioritize the inner excellence much more than anything!

That was all for this one. Provide your opinions and feedback in the comments. Will be appreciated.

A quote for the end

‘Beauty is not in the face. Beauty is a light in the heart!’

Signing off!