Mindful Beauty

My love for all things beauty really began in my early teens. My father worked at a nursing home, and on the weekends, they allowed volunteers into the facility to spend quality time with those patients who wanted the company. I recall telling my father that I not only wanted to partake in those weekly meetings, but that I wanted to be the “resident manicurist” for all those who wanted my service. And thus began my nail polish filled weekends completing up to ten manicures, on any given Saturday, for both men and women. My elderly clients began to enjoy not only their simply manicured nails, but also the sense of community and friendship we were building. It was in those moments that I realized that my love for beauty was not about the actual products themselves, but rather the feeling of happiness I brought to those through my favorite art form.

In those years that I volunteered at the center, I made countless women and men smile. This is why we should be mindful and enjoy all those simple things we do; no matter how superficial others deem them to be. Life is made up of a series of fleeting moments that should be filled with those things that bring the most pleasure and happiness—both for ourselves and most importantly others.