A few years ago I bought the VCD of the movie, Shrek, for JJ. She was still very young then and couldn't really understand what the movie was all about.
A couple of days ago, the VCD surfaced again from our VCD album. This time JJ was able to understand what it's about. She couldn't remember that she's seen the movie when she was younger.
Later, when the movie had finished, JJ was quite disappointed—she went to her mommy to lodge a complaint.
"Mom," she said, "Princess Fiona became very ugly in the end. But Shrek still married her. How come, mom?" Then she added: "Why would Shrek want to marry an ugly girl?"
Her mommy smiled and explained that the outer beauty was not what Shrek had fallen in love with. Instead he loved the princess for the kind person that she was. She said that the external beauty won't last forever. I observed them discussing about Princess Fiona. I doubt that JJ is big enough to understand her mommy's explanation. Perhaps in a few years from now, she will eventually understand Shrek's action.
It is interesting what we can see through the eyes of young innocent children. They remind us of our natural instinct: the love of beauty.
How many of us would fall in love with someone as ugly as Princess Fiona? In fact, I'm inclined to believe that even ugly people would want beautiful people to be their spouses. That talk about "outer" and "inner" beauty doesn't really work on a lot of people. Many of us would still prefer to find a beautiful spouse if we can help it. But of course not all of us are lucky to get one.
Having said that, however, most of us will sooner or later learn that beauty in terms of appearance is not everything. After many years we will all become old and the external beauty will fade somehow. One way or another we will learn that what really matters is the characteristics of the person after all—her determination in overcoming the many obstacles to achieve her goals; the crazy things that you love to do together; the joy and laughters that never seem to end; that she is the one unique person for you, that she completes you. The external beauty, if you can get it, is just a bonus.
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