Make it Beautiful and Re-trigger Your Soul
Make it Beautiful.
Would you consider beauty as one of your core principles? As an important leadership skill?
No?
Perhaps, that is why I was surprised to see "Make it Beautiful" on the list of the six core principles of ALI (Aidchild Leadership Institute) in Uganda, Africa.
"By prioritizing beauty in our everyday practices and rituals," says ALI CEO Dr. Nathaniel Dunigan, "we believe that leadership takes on a more sacred quality, fostering real and sustainable social change."
The AidChild Leadership Institute (aliuganda.com) in Entebbe, Uganda is working towards an HIV-free generation through the creation of a new model of leadership development in the region. At ALI, young interns living with HIV are provided holistic care and a variety of opportunities for spiritual formation as they emerge into adulthood.
Last week, two ALI interns shared their thoughts on beauty. This week three more interns answer the question, "What is beauty?"
I was challenged by their thoughts:
Beauty that re-triggers a soul. Beauty that uplifts hope. And beauty in a pen.
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Mugumya Julius, ALI Intern, Pharmacy Student at the Mbarara University of Science and Technology
Beauty is the adoration power that one contemplates if they utilize the five senses (smelling, testing, seeing, feeling and hearing). Many times in life, we sense different things that occur, but the things that matter to us most, do so because of beauty. For example:
Seeing someone’s smile can make your day seem brighter.
Listening to good music makes you feel better.
I enjoy bathing because I love the feeling when my body is covered with water.
All in all, the five senses are like tools that help us to discern what’s beautiful. The five senses are somewhat different in different people. Just like one may like a certain kind of food that someone else may not like, different people perceive beauty in things differently. It all depends on the senses of the beholder.
Some people think of beauty as the physical appearance of things: their shape, color, texture and arrangement. But there is very different way to think of beauty. For example, a pen is like beauty because we use it to for communication. Money is like beauty because it has value and power just like beauty does. This is a very important perspective of understanding beauty, because it gives our lives more value.
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Rogers Dunigan, ALI Global Ambassador, Graduate of the Makerere University Business School
Beauty is a cozy state of feeling around us in the things we see and feel all day, every day, and it varies from one person to another. I look at beauty much more like music. Everyone has their own tastes. Sometimes our tastes do not make a significant sense to others. Sometimes they do. And we all have a unique taste that makes us feel like we are in heaven.
Friedrich Nietzsche said, "Without music, life would have been a mistake." I also believe that, without beauty, there would not have been music. So, without beauty life could be a total mistake.
It is very important in my life in the way that, even after a troublesome, and very much confused day, something beautiful in the form of a pretty flower, a gorgeous smiling face, a decently organized room or—to narrow it down even more--the always smiling face on our new puppy--Togi.
Beauty relaxes my heart, pauses my mind, and re-triggers my soul in a way I can hardly explain.
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make it beautiful
Carol Asiimwe, ALI Intern, Certified Teacher in Training
Beauty is gorgeous, lovely, attractive, pleasing and professional.
Beauty is something which makes you feel better, and helps you market yourself worldwide.
Beauty is an idea which shows expression, pleasure and attraction.
Beauty, in most cases, expresses how organized somebody is, and shows respect to who you are.
Beauty speaks much how about how we think, behave, and who we are.
Beauty makes a difference because it inspires and challenges those around us.
Beauty brings opportunities.
Beauty visibly speaks, comforts, and uplifts our hope.
Are there places in your world where you can "Make it Beautiful"?
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