I never ever thought I was pretty.
There is something beautiful about a person who cannot see her beauty on the outside. A sad humbleness that pulls the person into the eyes and soul—a vulnerability that others pick up on innately but generally cannot recognize or pinpoint.
When anyone complimented my looks, I thought one of many thoughts:
1) You can’t really see me
2) This isn’t how I normally look
3) You must have poor eyesight
4) You are lying
5) You want to hurt me
6) You want my body
7) You are just saying that to be nice
8) I hate me
9) You say that to everyone
10) You must feel sorry for me
I could never own my beauty.
This view of myself, as being not adequate on the outside, is something I’ve held onto since I was eleven. I can theorize until I’m blue in the face, and come up with a plethora of reasons why I doubted my beauty, starting with my overbite and chipped front tooth and ending with being victimized by men.
But the truth is, I think I was made to be that way….this way. I think I was chiseled and molded into this me that I am.
There are beliefs I carry that say: To love yourself in completion is to be vain and conceded.
There are thoughts that scream how can you think you are pretty, look at your flaws?
There is the dark voice that says, you will age and no one will love you.
I’m starting to have flashbacks of all the times strangers came up to me when I was younger, and the messages they said:
You have such beautiful eyes. So intelligent and wise.
Your face has so many angles and emotions; you should be a model.
Oh, I can tell by looking at you that you are one of them—a deep soul.
Do not worry, you are prettier than her, inside and out.
Wow, they didn’t make teenagers like you when I was in school.
Has anyone ever said how beautiful you are?
Those were strangers. Off the street, they would approach me.
And I never could take in what they said. Never believe it. Never for a moment feel their words or truth. I always had doubt and disbelief. Actually it was beyond doubt. The compliments I quickly shifted into sadness and fear. For what if they were to see the real me? What if they realized how very wrong they were?
Something did happen, though. I began to see how my exterior gained attention.
In some ways I was fortunate. In my youth, with this “beauty,” people were typically accommodating, overly-friendly, and eager to date me. However the experience was more over misfortune because I felt I was not seen for the real me and thought furthermore that because I was truly ugly that I was playing some game of trickery. I believed one day people would awaken and the truth of my ugliness would be seen.
When I went to college, ripped away from my best friend of six years, and not having my boyfriend at my side, I felt extremely self-conscious, vulnerable, frightened, and paranoid. I was beyond shy. I walked with my head down and never ever peered up. I gave off the vibration of Keep AWAY at all costs. I was lovely, but untouchable. I thought I was ugly and unwanted. No one said hello to me. Only one boy in five years at college. I thought for certain that validated my beliefs; that in truth I was born ugly, unwanted, unneeded, and desperately flawed.
If a boy tried to make contact with me in class, I brushed him off with my insecurities or was clueless that he was trying to connect. I took “come on” lines at face value. If a boy asked about last night’s homework, that’s what he was interested in. Not me, only the homework. If he said I looked young for my age, that was the truth of his statement, nothing beyond, no agenda, just an observation. I couldn’t feel or see people reaching out to me. I was lost in my own world of ugliness and isolation.
When I gained weight in my early twenties, and then later gained sixty pounds from my pregnancy, I saw how others treated me differently based on my weight. I began to see how fickle and surface-level people could be. At that point I had nothing to turn to. I hated myself on the inside and outside, but at least for a long time I could get by on these supposed “looks.”
At this time, I began to really hook onto and believe all the negative messages I told myself. In fact, I had been right all along: I was horribly ugly.
It has taken me the last few months, since late April, to reclaim the beauty I misplaced when I was eleven years of age: thirty-three long years. For the first time in my adult years, I can look at my face and not cry, cringe, or loop over my image. For the first time I am embracing this wonderful woman I am, and morning for the lost years, when the word beautiful was masked behind a curtain of fear.
What I find odd, is I didn’t judge my friends or strangers in the same way I judged myself. I saw their beauty. Their souls shined through. And all I saw was gorgeousness. Now, when I look at myself, my soul shines through, and I too am the same, one with all, pure loveliness.
Some will call me self-centered, vain, obsessed with my looks, or shallow, but I know the truth. I am home. I am reconnected. I am in love again with me. A child reborn.
I still have doubts. I still have those thoughts…and that familiar dark voice. But there is a light, no doubt, that outshines the rest. A light I am learning to embrace more each day.
Everyday Asperger's 
Keep seeing the light – you are beautiful Sam ~ so much great stuff here… evolution of a soul … reconnection with your source. I don’t see vanity at all… keep it going ~ Love to you ~ R
Hello lovely. I love your new photos you posted on FB. Big hugs to you gorgeous one. xo Sam
You are beautiful Sam! I know this is not vanity. I know how painful this can bee as well.
I struggle with this so much. I am terrified to even venture on this topic for myself. I cannot see what I look like and the only thing I see is flaws. My eating disorder enhanced my already dysmorphic mind from childhood. Girls hated me and I did not know why, boys and girls made fun of me because of my birthmark and they picked apart my “big” eyes and “rhinoceros” nose. People would tell me I was pretty, but in the same breath pick out all of my “flaws” or share how I could “improve” my appearance.
There is so much wrapped up into this for me. I am thankful for your healing journey. It gives me hope. I have managed to gain enough courage to share some pictures on my blog, which I had no intention of EVER doing.
Keep healing Sam! I love to sing “I feel pretty” I sing it all the time with a silly dance as I swoop through my house. 🙂 Much light and love bubbles to you!
HELLO ANGEL! my little twin soul…How you be, sister of big-minded people? hehehehe Oh, my heart aches for you. I too was teased: Cow eyes, big ears, anorexic black kid (very cruel and racist, when I was skinny and tan) So I know that pain. You are lovely. I love your face. Your soul shines through. I would love to see more photos of you. I can focus on sending energy of love and beauty through your photos. You really are a beauty. Much love to you cutie pie xo
Dear Sam,
You are beautiful. Always have been. Always will be. Always. Sharon
Ahhhh. And sometimes it’s just a few string of phrases that light up the world. Thank you for the sunshine and love. xoxoxo Sam
I can totally relate with you life long feelings about “owning your beauty”. I never though I was pretty-too skinny, ugly hair.you know the drill-then when I got older had six kids and didnt really care what people though, it seems people started telling me how pretty I was, that they loved my long curly still golden brown hair, how did I stay so skinny? Ironic isnt it? I dont feel BEAUTIFUL now, but I feel like I look as good as anyone else, and I feel so sad for teenaged girls who feel judged by their outward beauty-they will surely grow up with both inner and outer beauty. beebeesworld
People’s words can really affect us for so very long. I feel beautiful, the more I see others that way, and the more I feel beautiful inside. It’s odd, but something is working. I can see in your photo how truly lovely your hair is. I too feel for the teenage girls growing up in this culture. Hopefully we can change this perception. Hugs, Sam
Well written. I am struggling with that very thing.
Ahhh Huge bundles of sunshine and positive affirmations coming your way. What helped me the most is smiling when ever I could, all the time. It hurt at first. But it changed how I saw myself. 🙂
beautiful affirmation.
Thank you. That means much, as I know the soul of you through your beautiful prose. hugs, Sam
Nothing to add to these beautiful words, except Burns –
“…O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
An foolish notion… ”
Everything you write moves me to tears.
Thank you for the poem. And I hope that the tears are beneficial and healing. Thank you, Sam
I remember you being that way when I first started reading your blog. I am so happy you are moving right along. I must say that when I saw the first picture in the blog, my first thought was “how beautiful she is.”
Just so you know,
Scott
Huge smile. Thank you my very kind and super hero blogging brother. 🙂
I completely understand what you went through. For the longest time if anyone ever complimented me, I just rolled my eyes and laughed. Sometimes I think it can actually be harder for ‘physically attractive’ people on the spectrum, because the standards at which we are held are often higher. If you are considered attractive I think people often expect that you should also be ‘normal’ and conform to society’s standards. Just a thought from one aspie to another. Cheers.
“standards”….that makes so much sense! Thank you, much, for sharing your insights. Thank you, too, for understanding. Cheers and best wishes to you. 🙂 Sam
Seems I’m also following your thoughts at my present age, Sam! Whenever my friends and cousins used to tell me that I’m freaking out with my own beauty, couldn’t agree with it at least a bit. Is this a psychological related aspect? Why couldn’t I accept my own beauty when some ones appreciates it in a positive manner?
Rahul
I don’t know why? For me not having a father to tell me so, was part of it. Also, experiencing some trauma probaly added to it. Though I think I was born that way, somewhat. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Best wishes to you.