By Jessie Gambrell

Opinion Editor

Ever wonder why we seem to think that flowers are so pretty? Well, I have a theory and it is very simple.

When flowers are blooming at the peak of spring and are shining forth their best, most healthiest, happiest and fullest selves, that is when we notice how beautiful they are, no matter what kind of flower they are. Same goes for us.

In our society, we get caught up on other people’s “blossoms,” we are focusing so much on their beauty, that we wither under their shadow through the blindness to our own blossom. Now, I’m not just talking about beauty as in appearance, I am talking about being your best, most happiest and fullest self.

How can we do this, you might ask? It really varies with each personality, given that we are all diverse and unique individuals. But there are some things that ring true in every human being and that is a sense of purpose, belonging and hope. Everyone wants to know that they are loved and belong somewhere and are needed. We have to discover what that thing is that God (or whoever or whatever you may think those passions derive from) has inspired and designed for us. We each have a calling and a purpose and it’s those people who have found it or at least are pursuing it, that really shine forth.

Confidence in oneself is another thing that makes you glow. Whenever I see someone who is truly happy and at peace with themselves, I am inspired and admire their radiance. People who have a passion, and skills in that passion, are always going to be an inspiration and sometimes a magnet to the good people around them. Confidence is sometimes hard to come by these days, or at least the right kind of confidence. I mean the type of confidence that allows your real personality to come out and to not be molded into the various shapes of our society.

We can also glow when we are our healthiest and our bodies like it when we take care of ourselves. Eating the right foods that are healthy, working out or exercising to some level is a natural medicine to whatever anxieties we may be having and it is a good way to detoxify the ugly “dirt” from our bodies. Think of working out as the cleaning off the dirt and eating the right foods as the fertilizer. The “dirt” can sometimes cloud our glow and the more we take care of ourselves the more we will shine forth our truest, most healthiest selves.

Well, there you have it. For those of you graduating this year or even those just entering our school this year, these are the things that make us the beautiful people that we are. Through the confidence in our truest beings, the care and dedication toward our well being and the passion and purpose designed for us, we can excel and be the best, most healthiest, happiest and fullest people we can be.