Sitting at the corner table in the coffee house, I playfully twisted the loose strings of my coat as I gazed outside. The traffic, people hustling about their business, window-shoppers, even the stray dogs, suddenly seemed interesting to my idle mind. It was one of those days when you just want to stare into space and contemplate about your life.
My blank stares accompanied by scattered thoughts were interrupted when I caught myself looking at her. At a quick glance she appeared to be as ‘unattractive’, but when I actually looked at her again, there was something so becalming about her.
Her eyes were the most beautiful ones I had ever come across. The wrinkles on her crease make her eyes shine brighter. I wondered how she looked when she laughed. It must have been a while since she had smiled, which was evident from the sad look on her face. When I took my gaze away from her eyes and looked at the whole canvas, I saw her sitting on the footpath and her hand outstretched begging for money — only to be shunned. What are the odds? I watched her get up and drag herself away. If only people could look beneath the veil of poverty, she would have been appreciated for her beautiful eyes. I realised that there wasn't anyone who was ugly in the world as I started noticing little things in everyone.
Over time, I started changing the opinions I had of certain people. Little aspects of beauty they had made me look at them in a completely different way. Some laugh the loudest and are stared at when they do so, but if ‘looked at’, one would realise how beautiful they are. Society created a stereotype of beauty for people to stick to, hence the veil.
I catch myself admiring people who have strong opinions on topics and who voice their thoughts so precisely and stridently.
Taking time and really observing people helps me look through the veil. I am never disappointed when it comes to this. There is always something about everyone that amazes me.
I learned to appreciate even the intense looks people get when they are thinking hard about something, and also the glow in their eyes when they talk about their passion.
Fall in love with the way their lips form into words and their voices turn shrill when they are happy. Be amazed by how different they are. Know about their personalities. Just look behind the veil.
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