Beauty, Pain, and Honesty

I was going to post a review today, but instead, I thought I would talk about a song that has been on my mind recently. 'Pretty Hurts' by Beyoncé is a song from her new album. Now Beyoncé isn't a very good role model for teens, but this song is probably one of the most meaningful secular song.

[Verse 2:] Blonder hair, flat chest
TV says, "Bigger is better."
South beach, sugar free
Vogue says, "Thinner is better."

[Hook:]
Pretty hurts, we shine the light on whatever's worst
Perfection is a disease of a nation, pretty hurts, pretty hurts (pretty hurts)
Pretty hurts (pretty hurts), we shine the light on whatever's worst
We try to fix something but you can't fix what you can't see
It's the soul that needs the surgery

 

Ain't got no doctor or pill that can take the pain away
The pain's inside and nobody frees you from your body
It's the soul, it's the soul that needs surgery
It's my soul that needs surgery
Plastic smiles and denial can only take you so far
Then you break when the fake facade leaves you in the dark
You left with shattered mirrors and the shards of a beautiful past

 

I never thought about perfection being a disease until I listened to this song. Thousands of girls are suffering with eating disorders, but hide it so well that no one knows. Girls and boys hurt their bodies continually over the fear of not meeting the standards of a 'thin body.' Why?  Because in this culture, appearances are valued above the inside.

 

This message is everywhere. The pressure you receive from your peers, adults, and yourself. Our often reaction to pain is to hide it  You can't tell anyone. Keep it to yourself. When you think about it, inner pain is more damageable and burdening than outer pain could ever be.  In our world, we do give more attention to whatever's worse.

 

The truth is: Concealing our pain never gets rid of it.

 

 We hide the one things we shouldn't hide. Being honest with ourselves and other people is overlooked as a sign of weakness in our culture. (Francesca Battistelli said something like that at a concert.)  What we forget to realize is that life is often found when we tell someone, when we're honest. Beauty is not found in skinny bodies and makeup. Beauty is giving our insecurities to God and believing in Him, instead of the lies.

 

This song connects to Francesca Battistelli's new song, 'If We're Honest.' Please take time to listen to it. It's amazing.