Beauty. Elegance. Classic. All words that can be used to describe the above image that many are probably familiar with. But this icon was more than just a beautiful face.
Audrey Hepburn is not just a beauty icon, but she is also one of my role models. She is not just that pretty face in that picture from "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Although that is by far my favorite movie of all time, she did more than act. She was an ambassador for UNICEF as an effort to give back for the help she had received during the famine in Holland in WWII. She felt guilty for surviving, and the way she dealt with this guilt was by giving back to the effort that once helped her. How amazing is that? She endured her own hardships and wanted to give back to the same place that helped her. If that's not inspirational, I don't know what is. Her outlook on life and the way she always presented herself is something I can relate to and the parts of her that made her shine brightest are qualities I aspire to obtain myself.
Ms. Hepburn's outlook on the impossible is that it's not actually impossible. Believing in yourself is something that is very important to Audrey. Having faith in her acting career is what made her as popular as she is today. She survived the impossible; she survived the famine in Holland and felt guilty for it the rest of her life. But she channeled that guilt into helping others. She did the impossible: she rose to fame and used her power as a celebrity to do good for others. Her work for UNICEF gets swept under the rug because she as merely seen as a pretty face. It is impossible for many to believe she was anything more than that. But she was. And you can be more than anyone thinks you to be too. Prove those people wrong that think you won't amount to anything major. Show them that you can be a doctor or a lawyer or anything you want to be. Do the impossible. You are possible.
Beauty is not just physical. According to Ms. Hepburn, being beautiful is about who you are. If you have a pretty face but an ugly personality, you are not a beautiful person. It's not your curves or your perfectly contoured face that make you beautiful, it's about the way you treat other people. If you are willing to see the best qualities in others rather than their worst, or willing to speak only words of kindness about people rather than gossiping or spreading rumors, and even knowing who you are surrounded by, you are truly a beautiful person.
In my own life, I try to live by this quote. Looking for the best qualities in others and trying to find good even when someone may be bad. This is not saying that there is actually more good than bad in all people, but giving others the benefit of the doubt can be worth while. Speaking only kind words about others is something that I'm sure all of us can own up to not being perfect at. There are times where we say things about other people that we may not mean or jokingly say. It does not mean it is OK, but we are only human and we do make mistakes.
Appreciating the people you are surrounded by is the most important thing. Letting your family, friends, boyfriend and anyone else important to you know that they're appreciated now and again doesn't hurt. Even if you think they know, a little thank you can be very meaningful. Mutual respect is very important to relationships, and it is the little things in life that matter most. Hepburn's outlook on the way you treat others is very significant to us all and is yet another reason why she is such a wonderful role model.
Laughter is not only the best calorie burner, but also the best medicine. No matter how bad my day goes, laughing can alleviate stress. No matter how stressed you may get, laughing it away can make it a little less stressful. Hypothetically speaking: that all-nighter you pulled for your final and the amount of Red Bull you consumed will be funny years down the road when you hear your own kids complaining about the same painful cycle and you think back to the good old days when you yourself were in college reading articles on The Odyssey about finals week. Which also relates to the part when she talks about being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.
Laughing may be the last thing you want to do when you lose a pet or a family member or you just don't know what to do anymore; but believe me, remembering a good time with your dog or your family member or something that gave you a stomach ache from laughing so hard will help you. And when laughter fails look for a kiss from your significant other, or a hug from your best friend. Or if you feel like you're alone, reach out to someone somewhere. Write an article about it and someone will read and listen. After all tomorrow is another day and you need to believe in miracles.
Thank you, Ms. Hepburn, for these beautiful life lessons. Keep believing in the impossible, miracles do happen. And most importantly, believe in yourself like Audrey did. After all, you never know who the next icon may be. For all you know, it can be you.
