Student Captures What Happens When People Are Told They Are Beautiful

Mary - You are still beautiful and full of life! Age is beauty. The oldest trees...beautiful. The well worn rocks and ancient monoliths on beaches...beautiful. Age has no bearing on beauty. But your statement is also beautiful. Have a lovely day!

I am 63, and I had the same reaction. They are every one so so beautiful. And everyone - even perhaps our older selves - are always more beautiful when we believe we are seen, and appreciated as our best self.

I dont know you, but you are awesome. And you are beautiful.

Mary, you're not old! You are living your second teenage! full of life, beauty and joy!

Miss... may I send you a virtual hug? You just about made me cry in school! -(;w;)- This comment and entire post is a great testament to true beauty, and I thank you for your kind words.

Mary, I'm 51 and I've thought the exact same thing so many times. I wish I'd known, in my 20s and 30s, how pretty I actually was. Time really does go by SO fast. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back and tell my 20 yr old self "you're beautiful"...and to actually believe it!

Totally agree, Mary. I am 51 years old, and though I never called anyone ugly, I regret ever envelope thinking it. And I regret how thinking of someone as ugly might have affected the way I'd related to them, or ignored them. Now, I am astounded at how beautiful all people are, and I'm ashamed it took me so long to see it! Great project!

But Mary, and all women here stating they feel the same way, with this kind of attitude, we will be in a constant state of looking back at what we had and wishing we had appreciated it more, instead of appreciating what we have now. You have so much now, still. My mother is 52, and she has always been beautiful to me, a constantly changing beauty that comes with age. Beauty is not limited in youth. However, I do get the message of what your saying. Us younger folks need to learn to appreciate what we have now!

may I copy and paste you comment on to my fb page please? It is such a profound thing to say and even I at 52 know the value of your wise words. I see photos of myself; younger, slimmer versions of myself and know I had nothing to worry about and so with that in mind try to enjoy what I still have now (not looking too bad, overweight and menopausal but still attractive) but is is a struggle in this image obsessed world to always feel it. I work with young people and do my best to be positvie about my image, not be hung up on it but as an ex anorexic with low self esteem I have to have more of an 'I don't care' attitude to convince myself but I know deep down it is true .. beauty is really only skin deep, true beauty is more obscure than a face cream, make up etc... I try to teach them about life as in our world and the beauty that is out there, that being a kind person is what really makes the world a better place not the next selfie....

Dont fall for it now either. You are beautiful now too Mary! You didnt see it back then, see it now! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. dont fall for what society says.You didnt see it then for many reasons and now you dont for a new reason. See your beauty now.

I was just saying this the other night. My son took a picture of me for his photography class and all I saw were wrinkles and I thought, omg, I can never go back to the way I was. Then I said "I wish I would have appreciated and enjoyed my beauty when I had it"! My kids just looked at me, lol

Explaining beauty is being beautiful. Your little article is as beautiful as the video above...thank you for this.

The world needs more Marys.

You rock mary

But Mary, you are beautiful.. Maybe not as much as you were, but I still see a beautiful person

I think you're a perpetual beauty...

Mary, thanks for your words, your are still and forever beauty full in and from your heart. Have a joy full day!

Mary, you made me cry! Thank you fot your beautiful words!

You are beautiful, Mary.

Beautifully said, Mary. You are beautiful. Cheers...

Love your kind and beautiful words, Mary!

Beautifully said

You are beautiful, Mary!

Thank you so much Mary, I needed to hear that. You are truely beautiful inside and out

Mary you are spot on...I am 55 and didn't understand the real concept of beauty until I got older. Our media promotes beauty in it's own twisted way. Beauty is expressing authentic words and feelings to yourself or others in order to promote a positive self image. Beauty is kindness and respect in yourself and others. Mary when you feel beautiful you can share beauty with others. Have a beautiful day :)

"Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-schmich-sunscreen-column-column.html

I totally thought the same thing, Mary! They are all so young and beautiful and full of promise! Yes, we are beautiful as our "older" selves, but we never appreciate what we have, when we have it. I don't have many regrets in my life cause I don't believe it's productive to live with regrets, but I do wish I had "appreciated" my youthful beauty when I had it!

lovely. I am 61 and have know this is true for awhile.

Mary you are beautiful!!! You were beautiful then you are beautiful now. The difference, your beauty has evolved. :)

You are also beautiful, and clearly have a beautiful soul since you took the time to remind us all that we are :) Thanks, Mary. What a remarkable lady you are.

Mary, I am still 26, but I thought the same thing. Of course, my experience is nowhere near as yours, but I clearly feel how older I am getting and how cute the adolescents and first year univ. students are to me. They're like little sparrows jumping and flying around. But I find that feeling of mine beautiful too. The very fact that it makes me smile, shows to me that I've found one more of the simple little things to appreciate in this world.

I wonder how they told that redhead while keeping a straight face. I can't even do that one.

That's exactly what I would do. I dot know why I don't think someone would actually genuinely compliment me like that girl did

Yes, I also identified with the girl who got angry. When someone tells me I'm "beautiful," I know they're full of garbage and it seems like ridicule to me. I'm instantly suspicious and defensive. It's sad, I know, but that's just my reaction, and I totally understood the angry girl's reaction and empathized with her. Her reaction, more than anyone else's, made me cry.

I was trying to understand that. She's probably never had anyone say that to her before. Maybe she's watched herself and realized that she is beautiful.