The bus was over-crowded; I had to stand as there were no seats available. At the next stop, lots more passengers got on. Two young men stood behind me. During the journey I eavesdropped their conversation. One said he wanted to get off the bus because he was dying for a pee. At one point I heard a baby crying in his push chair. One of the guys said: "Shut it or shoot it!" which made me laugh and we got chatting. I loved their sense of humour and it was such fun having a banter with both of them. I teased one of them about needing to take a pee. "Why can't you guys hold it in? You have to keep spraying everywhere like a dog, don't you?" They said they find it painful keeping it in. I said that sometimes when I'm dying to have a wee I do a dance. They said they could relate. We chatted about fashion, hairstyles animals, and colours. One said he was colour blind.
"What colour am I then?" I asked him.
"You're green with purple spots," he said.
My friends said they had just come from the Chinese New Year celebrations. They shared their experiences and how they followed the dragon. So I did get to experience the celebrations after all, albeit vicariously.
At one point we chatted about how some older passengers expect you to give up your seats just because they're old. I teased my friend about being such a compassionate soul. We had a good chuckle about society's expectations. I said someone once asked me to give up my seat because she thought I was very young, even though we might even have been the same age. I said people don't believe I'm 40. My friends couldn't believe it. They thought I was kidding. One thought I was 20 or there about. I assured them that I was born in 1966, the last time England won the World Cup.
One friend said I was not only aesthetically pleasing, I also had a beautiful personality. He said it's so rare to meet someone with both qualities. He said if he was straight he would ask me to marry him. He wanted to know my beauty secrets. I laughed and said it's all about being true to yourself.
When my friends got off the bus I got thinking about beauty secrets. Do I really have beauty secrets? I'm reminded of the following:
"If you do not fast as regards the world, you will not find the kingdom." The Gospel of ThomasI have found that it is when you're in lack i.e. material terms that you have to dig deeper and find the answers within. When you have money in abundance to do what you want, you're not motivated to look within for answers. I've gone through a period when I had lots of money to burn. I pampered myself in beauty products that claimed to make you look younger etc. I even had beauty treatments. Then there was a point when my circumstances changed and I was forced to fast from the world. In worldly terms I had nothing. I had to go within and dig deeper for the real wealth within. I realised that abundant life is not about how much money I have in the bank, the food I eat, what beauty products I use, how healthy I am, how much things I have, or how much success I have in the world, but about being the real Me. Abundant life is about letting my true Self express as me. It was then I discovered that which I've been striving for is already within me.
Naturally, beauty is part and parcel of the changeless Light that I AM. It matters not whether I use the most expensive beauty products or not, I will remain ageless because the Incorruptible Light is in all things and is always perfect. The irony is my beauty routine is very basic. I still wear makeup. Most times I go to bed without removing my makeup. I use bubble bath to wash my face, my body and my hair. I use baby cream, the cheap brand, to moisturise my body and my face. As you can see, I'm probably breaking all the rules of beauty, but who gives a toss?
So I only have one beauty secret to share: make the commitment to be yourself and then your true self will reveal the beauty that you are.
To my two dear friends I met on the bus. Thank you for your wonderful gifts of beauty, joy, love, and friendship. You are both gorgeous; and yes, I'm gutted that you are not straight, G. Wishing you two love and happiness in all that you do. I love you guys.
To all my Chinese friends - Happy New Year to you all! May this year of the pig bless you with love, happiness, peace and prosperity.
Enocia
Related articles: Be the Love You Wish to Experience; Let Go and Let All; Beauty; Hidden Riches of Secret Places; Masters of Time; It's My Birthday!; Weaning; Field of Possibilities and a Possible Solution for World Peace; A Christmas Message - Cold Turkey; Our True Wealth; Going into the Deep
