Stinging Thistles

by Rebecca Knight

Daily, I am asked to define words, one of my jobs as Mommy. Most times, it's an easy task, but occasionally the children ask for a definition so complex that I can't explain it adequately. I usually turn to my trusty dictionary to provide me with the best possible definition.

The other day, I came across a contest, "Define beauty". My first thought was, easy contest, I do this every day. Then I attempted to define it in my own mind:  a subjective concept of aesthetics based on visual and cultural cues, a concise yet cold definition of beauty. I didn't feel my definition encompassed the true meaning of beauty, so I turned to the dictionary.

------------------------------

Webster's (www.m-w.com) definition:
Main entry: beau·ty
Pronunciation: 'byü-tE
Function: noun
Inflected form(s): plural beauties
Etymology: Middle English beaute, from Old French biauté, from bel, biau beautiful, from Latin bellus pretty; akin to Latin bonus good—more at BOUNTY
Date: 14th century
1: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit: LOVELINESS
2: a beautiful person or thing; especially: a beautiful woman
3: a particularly graceful, ornamental, or excellent quality
4: a brilliant, extreme, or egregious example or instance, as: "That mistake was a beauty."
5: a quantum characteristic that accounts for the existence and lifetime of the upsilon particle; also: a particle having this characteristic

------------------------------

To my disappointment, Webster's offered no greater insight. I began to ponder the existential meaning of beauty, how and why an object "pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit". I concluded that beauty takes many forms, but in all cases, it is the aspiration for perfection that marks true beauty. A perfectly flawed diamond can produce a starburst of fire at its center; its flaw, its perfect imperfection, gives it fiery perfection, beauty. The flaw also makes it weak and easily shattered.

Definition 1 describes a concept, and like all concepts, it's a subjective ideal. The definition given by the dictionary is not a true representation of the word. At times, beauty can bring pain, not pleasure. Have you ever seen something so beautiful it makes you ache, becoming jealous that someone owns a beautiful object while you do not? Instead of filling your heart with joy, you might become aware of how devoid your own life is of beauty. True beauty can lead to the seven deadly sins, greed, gluttony, lust, envy, anger, pride and even sloth. My perception of beauty might strike you as odd, but consider the following scenario:

Once you own one truly perfect object of beauty, greed can easily take over, leading to the gluttonous collection of other equally beautiful objects. You begin to lust after those things that others have, followed closely by anger that you didn't obtain this rare beauty first. Prideful of your collection, you become slothful in other aspects of your life, now dedicating your life to pursuing only objects of great beauty and perfection. It is not difficult to imagine this scenario.

Words aren't always enough to define a concept, and each person's perception of a subjective adjective, like 'beauty', may differ. We teach these concepts to children daily, with each word we speak, every action we take, and the reactions we have to the world around us. We teach them the moral meaning of words, that indefinable connotation that can't be defined by a book, but is felt within the person's soul.

At last, I have realized my definition of beauty, learned by my own perception of reality: True beauty is incomparable perfection; it exists for a moment in your eyes, remembered forever after its fleeting moment of magnificence.

Copyright © Rebecca Knight 2003