"Beauty is as transparent as truth itself. There is no disguising its presence. However hard one tries, inner moods are rarely hidden from view. Whether one is happy or sad, perplexed or certain, one's temperament and disposition become plain for all to see.
In many ways, people are like stain glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out but when darkness descends, their true beauty is only revealed if there is light from within. There is nothing more beautiful than a radiance that touches all; someone who goes out of their way to make life better for others. Such people possess an inner beauty that shines through all they are, say and do. Whatever life throws at them, they choose to face the sun and allow their shadow to follow. Whether the day is fair or dull, their eyes are brighter and their smile a little warmer, their skin is dewier and they vibrate at a different frequency and pulse of life than others.
So, if a lady of beauty you want to be, then there is no better way than to be a woman with truth and honesty written across your face; a woman who will never let a man's definition of 'attractiveness' have any hold over her; a woman who makes independence, happiness and wholesomeness her chief cosmetic.
And if it is a man of substance you seek to make yourself, you will find the attributes you need such as honesty, compassion, forgiveness, sincerity, sensitivity, truthfulness, loyalty and loving expression inside any tool kit of goodness you have access to.
My dearly departed mother always told me that friendship and forgiveness were the secrets of a long marriage. She believed that deeply loving someone gave you the strength while knowing that one was loved in return gave you courage.
I know from my own relationship with my wife, Sheila, that behind every happy couple is two people who fought every battle together that came their way." William Forde: July 15th, 2017.