Inner Beauty Blog – Strength
Nov 12th, 2009 by boldbeauty
She’s frequently named as one of the world’s most beautiful women, photographed by countless paparazzi, widely regarded as a fashion icon and even seen as a spokes model for a major cosmetics company. But while pop star Rihanna’s outer beauty has never been in doubt, this month, it’s her inner beauty that has impressed me.
Whether or not you’re a fan of her music, no doubt you were shocked last February, when the superstar singer’s face was disfigured almost beyond recognition following an attack at the hands of her then-boyfriend, fellow pop star Chris Brown.
I know I was among many people who were also shocked — and saddened — by reports that, despite the brutality of the incident, she had returned to her boyfriend. Some even said that she had married him. For months, she remained silent about what happened and concentrated on her career.
Which is understandable. It takes a certain kind of strength to face that kind of pain.
So I was incredibly impressed when Rihanna came forward and spoke honestly and truthfully about her ordeal.
Recognizing the fact that she serves as a role model to young girls – not to mention countless fellow abuse victims around the world — Rihanna elected to open up about the experience on television. In doing so, she exhibited poise and maturity way beyond her 21 years.
She also spoke openly about something many women who have never been abused just don’t understand, but is a painful reality for many victims. She talked about the difficulty she had leaving Brown, despite having experienced firsthand exactly what he was capable of. She described Brown as her first love, but expressed regret at having gone back to him, worrying, among other things, that it sent the wrong message to other women. And she advised the women watching that they must not put up with abuse – that they absolutely must get out of an abusive relationship.
It took incredible strength – not to mention a beautiful soul – for Rihanna to allow the focus to return to this ugly, painful chapter of her life. She could have simply moved on, but she realized she has an important message to share with women. As she stated in the interview, if it could happen to her, it can happen to anyone. In our celebrity-crazy world, showing that vulnerable side of herself is an incredibly brave thing to do.
So today, I want to recognize this beautiful young woman for her inner beauty. I hope her actions will inspire all of us to find our own inner strength and stand up for what’s right – even during our darkest times.
good article as usual!