The Invisible Beauty

It was before the mirror that Sophie stood, her fingers tracing the outline of her face and her mind swirling with thoughts of inadequacy. Every single day she saw her sister Isabella being praised for her alluring beauty, and her brother Liam for his cute smile. But Sophie felt invisible, overshadowed by those who shone so bright. What she longed for was to be as effortlessly beautiful as they were.

She sometimes caught sight of herself next to those around her, especially when comparing herself with her best friend Amelia, who had the ability to command attention whenever she walked into a room due to her smooth skin and mesmeric charm. In each instance Sophie couldn’t help but think that in comparison to them all she fell short; this only made matters worse since no one ever complimented her.

“Why can’t I be just beautiful like them?” pondered Sophie, with the question reverberating throughout her head in an endless drumming noise.

These thoughts burdened her with their weight; to Sophie mirrors became something to avoid because they only showed her flaws. She turned away from friends’ company believing that she was not as good as them. However, isolation made her feel more infested in a pit of self-doubt and gloom.

One evening after an especially hard day, Sophie sat in her room sobbing uncontrollably upon realizing how useless life seemed. Her mother saw how upset she was and came over to sit by her side. Sophie finally spoke about all those insecurities within herself—feeling inadequate, always comparing herself with others.

Her mother listened patiently; when Sophie stopped talking she said softly, "Sophie dear! Beauty does not just belong outside, it comes from inside too! No matter the compliments you receive from people around you or your looks vis-à-vis theirs but rather accept who you are and appreciate yourself."

Sophie heard every word though they sounded so alien like they were intended for someone else altogether. Kind words alone couldn’t erase these feelings of inadequacy which had become entrenched deep inside me.

The following day, Sophie’s mom brought her to the nearby park where they hadn’t gone since pensive moments of her youth. On every point it had received ripples made by sunshine filtering through the tree branches overlooking them. Once it was used as playground for sophie during her careless moments untill she was too concerned with beauty or merging aspects together.

As they walked along the path her mother began to tell about different flowers passing by them. Some have very bright colors while others may be smaller and less conspicuous but all these had been acknowledged by her mom because upscale versions of each represented their own peculiar strength thus adding volume to it all when concerned about those gardens.

"And if you can look closely Sophie," said her mom,” not all flowers are aggressive enough to be more colorful than others. Look at these for example; tiny in size but bursting with different colors when examined carefully. It’s like people.”

Sophie was so quiet and left all the words to sink in. They sat on a nearby bench near a small pond, watching ducks gliding across water. Her mother took out a sketchbook to give it to Sophie for drawing what she could see.

Sophie was hesitating, a familiar pang of self-reproach biting her mind. But there was something in this moment that made her want to try even if she didn’t have any drawing skills. She began sketching, pay attention to how light played on water surface or delicate leaves line or flower shapes.

While she sketched, Sophie was lost in thought, her concerns gradually becoming distant noises background sounds of this process. The purpose wasn’t to make an accurate representation; it was to notice the beauty present in small things with its flaws and as well as during doing so.

Not till she gazed at her finished drawing did Sophie consider it as an attachment neither as something made by someone who deserved to be seen or praised most accurately. Consequently, she realized then that consciousness was never about the most beautiful but rather in how one would see herself or the world.

The following week at school Amelia came close to Sophie and said “Hey Sophie I’ve seen your recent drawings and I like them because they look like you”.

This took Sophie aback because although this is not normal kind of compliment she hears yet it seems real and heartfelt. At last, there was a sensation of warmth not stemming from validation or comparison with others but instead from within herself.

Sophie’s journey didn’t cease at that park nor with that compliment. It was an ongoing process of understanding her worth and recognizing herself in an authentic way, not through the lenses of other people. There were still times when she would feel insecure about her abilities – it happens to everyone – but they no longer overwhelmed her.

One evening, she found herself looking at the mirror again. This time around, Sophie didn’t turn away. She did not focus on any perceived flaw on her side, nor did she compare herself with Isabella or Amelia. Instead, when looking at the girl in front of her, she saw someone who was growing; someone who was learning how to accept and appreciate her beauty as it was without any conditions attached.

Sophie smiled back at her reflection because for a long time it was so hard for her to think positively about herself even when the reasons were apparent enough. Now however, there are few things as rewarding as being able to look into the mirror and say “I am unique and I have value.”

Happiness is beauty, every girl knows it. She find true happiness, by loving herself in all her rawness and not comparing to others. At the end Sophie understood that being beautiful wasn’t just about being what others want to see. But rather accepting oneself and having enough self worth to appreciate your own identity without comparing with another person’s life or appearance.

Thank you for taking the time to read this story. I hope it resonated with you and brought a sense of comfort or understanding. Your support means the world to me, and I'm grateful for every reader who finds a piece of themselves in these words. If this story touched your heart, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your feedback and connection are what make writing worthwhile. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. 🌟