Beauty At Second Glance
POSTED IN: Makes You Think
“Perhaps true beauty is something that draws our attention at the second glance, once the judgment of the first glance has realized its mistake.”
His name is David Roche.
He was born with a huge benign tumor on the bottom left side of his face; surgeons had tried to remove it when he was very young. In the process, they removed his lower lip, and then gave him such extensive radiation that the lower part of his face stopped growing, and he was covered with plum-colored burns. He went through much of his childhood being stared at and ridiculed. However, he has an interesting perspective on his “difficulty.”
“My face is a gift, because my shadow side – my difficulty and challenge – is on the outside, where I have been forced to deal with it.” – David Roche
This story and video challenged me on so many levels.
(click here if you can’t see the video – ht: SoulBiographies)
David’s attitude challenged me to look differently at the things I like least about myself and others.
We with facial deformities are children of the dark. Our shadow is on the outside. And we can see in the dark: we can see you, we see you turn away, but one day we finally understand that you turn away not from our faces but from your own fears. From those things inside you that you think mark you as someone unlovable to your family, and society and even to God.
All those years, I kept my bad stories in the dark, but not anymore. Now I am stepping out into the light. And this face has turned out to be an elaborately disguised gift from God.
- David Roche
Reminds me of a verse I read somewhere. All of us have had difficulties we’ve had to overcome but few have had to deal with them as openly as David. Somewhere in us though we can all connect with his story because we all know the pain of ridicule and rejection.
I could go on and on about how this story challenged me but I want to hear from you.
What does this story say to you?
Challenged?
Humbled?
Encouraged?
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November 6, 2008
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Wow I can´t see this
boloos last blog post..Como aumentar el PageRank
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November 6, 2008
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Beautiful post Brad.
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November 6, 2008
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Wow. I’m speechless. I’m humbled. I’m generally a very non-judgemental person. However, this has really spoken to me.
I love that quote. I posted it on my myspace profile. It can be the same with attractive people. I get very aggravated at times because some people (especially other women) can’t seem to see past my skin to see the real me and take the time to get to know who I really am. Therefore, they miss out on a great relationship. http://www.myspace.com/rachels88keys
Rachels last blog post..Taking Him Up On “The Love Dare”
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November 6, 2008
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Oh wow Brad. This is amazing little film. It makes me feel so foolish about my insecurities.
a new fans last blog post..A Litany of Resistance
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November 6, 2008
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I am not a new fan.
adams last blog post..A Litany of Resistance
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November 6, 2008
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Can you email me a direct link to that video? For some reason I can’t hear it when viewing from your blog.
Thanks
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November 7, 2008
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one of my posts today was on our tongue. the words we say, how judgmental we can be with our words. but this made me realized – we can be equally judgmental with our eyes. our eyes say so much.
he is truly an inspiration. i love that he wants to start a “beauty school”…i think thats what he said at the end, it was kind of hard to hear. but he wants to teach people what true beauty is. THAT is beautiful!
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November 7, 2008
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it made me realize that i don’t give my attitude/outlook enough credit…
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November 7, 2008
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I’m extremely humbled.
It’s amazing to see that someone with such an visible deformity is so willing to bring attention to it.
I hope that I can become okay with myself and who I am to share something so deep.
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November 7, 2008
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his book The Church of 80% Sincerity is a great read. one of my favorite reads this summer.