Jack’s Winning Words 7/30/13
“I stand in awe of my body.”  (Thoreau)  I wonder what Thoreau would think of today’s body fixation?  He was eating healthy and exercising before being told that it was good for him.  I smiled when I read that N. Hawthorne described his friend, Thoreau, as being “ugly as sin.”  Hmmm!  I wonder.---What’s the difference between beauty and ugly?  What’s the difference between the writings of Thoreau and People magazine?    ;-)  Jack

 FROM MICHIZONA RAY:  I think the difference between beauty and ugly is grace; and the difference in the writings of these third is grace as well. At least with regard to beauty, it's both joyful and pleasurable to experience. But, what is it that makes one care enough to read about those who pretend to be something they are not, while the truly interesting people are those who work diligently at the honest and true sojourn of the authentic?====JACK:  The truly beautiful people are not narcissistic.

 FROM TARMART REV:  Is it, "all in the eyes of the beholder?"====JACK:  All judgment is done with the eyes and the mind of the beholder.

FROM CS IN RICE LAKE:  Personally I believe that Thoreau was looking at the beauty of how his body was made and how best he could take care of it.  People magazine looks at the I, me, my syndrome – artificial beauty, how to change what God has given you and promoting what they perceive as perfection…never seeing the inner beauty.====JACK:  I don't think you'd find Thoreau's name on the subscriber list of People magazine.

 FROM BM IN MICHIGAN:  The difference is in the audience.  More people want to read People. ====JACK:  I'd be surprised to learn that G-d took a poll before he issued the Ten Commandments.

 FROM RI IN BOSTON:  More than likely Thoreau was thinking more about the make-up of his entire body, not just its outer appearance.  Each of us is certainly an awesome processing operation that supplies and maintains the various body systems keeping us alive.  Some of our body's functions are mundane, others rapturous.  Ugly or not, I stand with Thoreau...in awe of my body.====JACK:  I wonder if Hawthorne was kidding when he referred to his friend as being "as ugly as sin."  BTW, what makes sin ugly?  When Jesus is referred to as Beautiful Savior, what does beautiful mean?====RI:  About your question what makes sin ugly, I was asking myself the same question this morning when I read your WW.   "Ugly as" seems more appropriate coupled with "Oompah."

 FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  I believe that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder (don't remember who wrote that).====JACK:  I seen the origin traced to Plato, John Lyly, Shakespeare, and Ben Franklin.  Take your pick!  It's one of those proverbs which causes you to say, "That's right!"

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  One of the most memorable  books i ever read was "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made" by Dr. Brand.(Philip Yancy helped him write it.)   It absolutely put you in awe as to the miraculous make-up of our human bodies. This makes me want to re-read it a third time to refresh my memory of all the things that fascinated, while reading it!  You know, I don't recall seeing a picture of Thoreau, but he could write.  I doubt he would be impressed with People magazine! Wasn't he a leading Transcendentalist?  It seems to me he was good friends with Louisa Mae Alcott and her father, and they put him in that category.  I too am in awe of my body, no longer beautiful, but wholesome!! :-) And still functioning well!====JACK: What do you mean, "No longer beautiful?"  What is beauty, after all?  It's said that Thoreau's nose was rather large.  So what?  It's also said that he was a Transcendentalist.  So what?  Most people don't even know what the word means...and couldn't care less.  He was an idealist.  We could use more people like him in this world, don't you think?

 FROM AW IN ILLINOIS:  Hi Jack...came across a new phrase for the human body:  "earth suit" ====JACK:  I've never heard that expression.