Because You Are Mine: A Poem

Posted On July 2, 2021

I see it all around me. What the world calls beautiful.

Glamour,

Artifice,

Power.

And I look at myself. And what I see is not

Glamorous,

Artificial,

Powerful—

And I tremble at my ignorance.

And I ask, God, Why am I not beautiful?

Didn’t you make me to be beautiful?

And I am overwhelmed by the weight of my ugliness.

It’s everywhere, the standards of this earth. I see the standards on

Billboards and soap bottles,

Magazines and books.

Standards, yes, standards I will never be able to meet.

I feel like a nobody when I hold myself up to these standards of glamour, artifice, power.

And I ask God, Why am I not glamorous?

Why am I not powerful,

Or strong?

And I feel downcast in my imperfection.

But then—then—

When I take my eyes off of the world, and its standards, and its

Glamour,

Artifice,

Power,

I can see it for what it truly is. I can see that what once looked ideal is but a dim light in a world bursting 

With beauty—

True beauty.

And I realize that beauty is not in glamour, no, glamour is all show and no beauty.

And I see that artifice is just that—artificial.

And there is nothing truly beautiful about that which is not there.

And power—oh, power— it isn’t truly power at all.

It’s only the shadow of strength,

The shadow of an invisible something that is taking over the hearts of many.

It takes over their hearts, yes, and it tells them that they are weak.

But it is when I take my eyes off of these worldly things—my eyes facing the sky,

The fresh, beautiful sky—I see beauty for what God made it to be.

I can see that beauty is simple, and it is everywhere.

And I tell God, I am beautiful, because I am Yours.

And God answers me.

You are beautiful because you are Mine, He says. 

Breathe in the air, feel your lungs expanding.

Close your eyes and see that which is truly beautiful.

And I close my eyes. I breathe deep the air around me.

I feel my lungs expand.

And I see that which is truly beautiful—

Not that of the world, all laden with riches and bows.

No, what I see would put the world to shame.

For I am beautiful, God says. And you are Mine.

You are beautiful, daughter of Mine. Take your eyes off the world and truly see.

You are real.

Touch your warm, living skin. Feel your breath in your lungs.

Close your eyes, My dear.

You are here—

You are with Me.

Breath it deep, My love.

Breath it deep.