i've come to terms with the fact that a woman's beauty is really in the eye of the beholder. i mean, there are physically beautiful women lotsa places, but i am talking about more than that. i am talking about what REALLY attracts a guy (well, a good intentioned guy) to a girl - what makes him see her as the greatest woman around? countless occasions have i been very attracted (not always in a crush way/ but generally interested in getting to know as a person) to girls who are physically attractive but only after a matter of days find them pulling up some unattractive habit (ie. smoking, drinking, or always talking about how great some loser/dickhead guy is), and then the interest fades. but i admit, i have more staying power than a simple turn off, well, besides cronic smoking (some things shouldn't be overlooked). opinions can change, both for good and bad, or for good or for awesome (if you prefer).

my point is, the truest, and most wonderful girls i have ever been close to have usually never been extremely attractive by popular culture standards, but usually cute (except in one case, but i didn't find her attractive, personally, until i got to know her personality - and then that was what i found most attractive). after a long process of getting to know a woman, be it intentional or haphazardly, a woman slowly becomes more beautiful (or should i say is realized for her beauty) because of her whole. a woman's dedication to her friends, her morals, her honesty, her heart for people and especially for God, reliability, trust, even her ability to laugh at bad jokes... these are the things that make a woman beautiful. unfortunately these are also the things that make a woman ugly. a woman can be so tainted by her lack of whatever it is, that even though she is considered on many levels, beautiful, hot, or even a TEN (as brandon would say), that she could hold nothing to a girl who you can simply make you sit back and smile everytime you think about her -- the kinda girl that carries around no drama with her... the kinda girl you can take home to mom without being afraid of what your mom might say (or think to herself).

when it comes down to it, i know it's nothing you haven't heard before... but ladies, be comforted that just because you don't look "perfect", hey, what guy do you know does? if you want a nice guy anyhow, he's prolly gonna be lookin for the same thing you are... someone that makes him/her smile. so i encourage the girls to never loose that beauty, the kind that is more than your fake and bake tan, or your haircut, or newest outift - and guys i encourage you to give a girl who makes you smile a chance. because even though there will be times when certain girls can make you smile, there will always be a smile when you realize someone is beautiful...

as always, keepin it real... REAL real...