Someone once told me that "most people are ugly."

I found the comment ridiculously odd and inaccurate and automatically began to wonder by what standard are the majority of human beings considered ugly. Alas, I didn't say anything, but shrugged it off and directed the conversation toward a different topic.

However, the thought has stuck with me that beauty is something that is traditionally seen as rare and exquisite, maybe even impossible.

But while I am sitting at any one of the many track meets and watching people run with intense speed or endurance it never fails to amaze me that every human body has some basic level of what I would call beauty to it. This is not only at track meets, but watching any body in motion, whether it be dance or swimming or pole vaulting, it's easy to find some type of beauty.

Even when people are not necessarily in motion, it seems to me that every person has at least one beautiful aspect about their physical appearance. Does that not make them a beautiful person? Some would say that being a (physically) beautiful person is having every (physical) aspect of yourself be beautiful, but I can't think of one person who is beautiful in every respect. In which case beauty becomes something that is impossible. Beauty becomes synonymous with perfection.

I would like to argue that imperfections can be beautiful. Like deep wrinkles in someone's face or slightly droopy eyes, these can be beautiful things. Looking at a glossy face with flawless skin and perfectly bright, round eyes can become boring after a while, and that is certainly not what I would consider beauty.

As you can see, I can't come up with a clear, concise definition of what beauty is, not even for myself, but I think that it is essential for each person to look critically at what they believe beauty is, and how different that is from what everyone else thinks.