Do you like makeover shows? I LOVE makeover shows ... I love to see people get the help they need in areas of their lives where have gotten stuck for one reason or another. I am not a big fan of change, I love routine and predictability, but even I have to admit that sometimes change is not only good, but also necessary.
Readers Digest once published a powerful fiction piece which narrated the story of a widower who lived with his two daughters in a small village in Asia a long time ago. One of the daughters was beautiful; her charisma and grace was known in the entire village and the neighboring areas … The other daughter, although noble-hearted, lacked allure and charm. The two young women were ready to be given in marriage, and as it was the custom in those days, the father was expecting suitors to show up and offer cattle in exchange for a wife.
One morning, word came to the old man that a wealthy dignitary was coming to the village to find his future wife. The wealthy man had been on a long quest to find a suitable woman to share his life, and had travelled near and far in his mission. The old man thought to himself, “Surely when he sees my daughter, this man rich in possessions but poor in love will forget all his previous distress and forfeit his travels; he will settle with her and ask for her hand in marriage.” He rushed to his house and prepared for the event.
As the dignitary entered the old man’s house, his face light up, his eyes grew teary, and his mouth uttered the following words, “Good man, at the sight of your daughter, I who am rich in possessions but poor in love, have forgotten all my distress and travels, I am in love with your daughter and wish to settle with her and ask for her hand in marriage, allow me to offer ten cows as exchange.” The old man who was prepared answered without hesitations, “Dear sir as a father, I am prepared to give you her hand in marriage.” The price of ten cows was the highest price anyone had ever paid for a wife, but the old man was not surprised, since his daughter’s beauty was legendary.
The old man was smiling, satisfied that all his predictions had come to pass, when something happened that took not only him, but the entire village by surprise; the dignitary approached the two daughters who were standing side by side, and turned to the other daughter, the one who was noble-hearted and asked her, “Would you be my wife?” Without any hesitation, the young woman took his hand, looked at his family for one last time, and left with the distinguished man to become his wife.
Time went by, and word came to the old man, that his daughter and son-in-law were coming to the village in the customary visit that daughters pay their fathers. In villages a family visit concerns the entire town, and so all the people had gathered outside the old man’s house, to see the daughter arrive with the fool who paid ten cows for a noble-hearted but unattractive wife. The dignitary appeared first, illustrious and poised as usual and stretched his hand to his wife to lovingly usher her into her father’s house.
The sight that caught people’s eyes was not that of an unattractive, noble-hearted woman, but that of an exquisite creature, who stood dignified, lovely, and self-assured by her husband’s side. Astonishment and admiration filled people’s minds. The old man in his amazement couldn’t contain himself; he asked his daughter the reason for her change. The woman looked at his father and at everybody else, set her gaze on her husband, and answered, “I realized the price he paid.”
I love this story; it is the ultimate makeover, a makeover that comes from within, from a woman’s realization of her self-worth and a decision to match her outside circumstances to the changes she had experienced in her soul.
This story gives me strength and hope, strength to endure change when I am not inclined to do so, and hope that change can be good for me ... even when all I want is the good old status-quo.
