beauty

While waiting for the bus to arrive, I sat at one corner in Park Square II terminal. I was trying to read a book but the giant electronic TV hanging on top wins my attention most. I set the book aside and got my eyes hooked on it. It was showing a program anchored by Jessica Soho. The topic then was about beautiful people getting the most (favors, help, job, etc) as compared with not-so-beautiful people. They ran an experiment to prove this. Two talents were brought in to pose as a damsel in distress; the first one is a pretty lass - fair skinned with long shiny black hair, a phoemela baranda look-a-like. The other talent is a not-so-pretty one; short haired, dark skinned - she was described as a diego look-a-like. The two talents went out and asked for favors/help in the streets. First act: ask someone if they could let her use their cell phone. Act two, try to hitchhike. To summarize, the pretty one got most of the favors she asked for. For the not-so-pretty one: all were hesitant to let her borrow their phone and no one even stopped for her when she put her thumb out.

This is so saddening.

So, what's the standard of beauty anyway? You call one beautiful when she's fair skinned? When you see no traces of blackheads, white heads, and pimple on her face? When her hair flows like one of those shampoo commercial models we see on TV? I don't see any beauty in it.

I see one's beauty in her genuine smile, the way her eyes light up when she's fascinated with something, her polite manner of saying thank you, the way she neatly carries her hair; straight, curly or whatever texture it maybe, her simple gestures of appreciation, the way she carries a conversation; smart but not witty and the way she carries herself confidently.

Speaking of beautiful people getting the most favors, here's one story that happened to me and my mother 3 years ago. NO, we're not the damsels in distress at this point. Here's how the story goes.

We're at the gasoline station having ice cream, our car was parked facing the high way. Nanay just didn't want to go home yet. After an hour or so, Nanay decided to go home, since it's a work day the next day. We still haven't got far enough when someone was signaling us to stop. Nanay thought the guy was just trying to point out that something is wrong with our car, the tires perhaps. But he was persistent, so we stopped.

"Ma'm, bibiyahe po ba kayo hanggang Sta. Cruz, papunta po kasi kame ng Pagsanjan, pointing to the other two girls looking at us from a distance"

"Aba! Mukha bang fx driver ang nanay ko??? And that makes me what? Barker??? The nerve ng taong ito, ha! Pero teka, cute sya ha.." I thought.

"Hindi, sa pacita lang kame." Nanay replied.

"Ahh, ganun ho ba. E pwede po bang makisabay kahit hanggang tollgate lang ng exit nyo?"

Nanay raised an eyebrow. I turned to nanay and told her to just ignore this guy.

"Ma'm, may dala po kasi kaming dugo para sa lola ko. Yung kotse po namin, nasiraan." The guy was pleading.

"Okay" Nanay replied, and the three of them got in the car.

The guy explained that they needed to bring the blood right away for his lola's operation. They are actually rushing because the blood might get spoiled, since it was only contained in a small cooler.

Nanay, instead of exiting to Halang, went all the way to Calamba. By the way, the guy's name is Ryan. We reached Calamba (bayan) and found a bus going to Sta. Cruz. After thanking Nanay, the three of them got out immediately to catch the bus.

Knowing my mother's gift of intuition, I still asked her why she let Ryan and his companions in. She said "Nararamdaman ko ng kailangan nila ng tulong. Pinagdaanan ko rin yan nung mamatay ang lolo mo. Yung feeling na helpless ka. And besides, guapo e."

This happened 3 years ago and I still remember it clearly. I always recall this everytime I pass through the high way at night.

Going back to the program I was watching, it made me think how unfortunate it is for those people that are not blessed with good looks. However, as I dwell in it more deeply, I realize that it's the other way around. It is more unfortunate for the people who judge other people by merely on physical aspect, just think how much these people (who scrutinates others based on the outside appearance) are missing. I know a lot of not-so-good-looking people who are really fascinating. You just need to look beyond the physical part and see the person from within.