If you watch television or read women’s magazines, you are aware that the old quote, “A woman can’t be too rich or too thin,” has still not fallen out of favor. In fact, there has been a codicil added, “…or too beautiful.”

Women who many would consider already gorgeous are modifying their appearance with everything from hair dye and extensions, body piercings, tattoos, and collagen injections to all-out plastic surgery.

The results range from unnoticeable to downright frightening.

I’ve never been a big fan of cosmetic surgery (that whole “slice and dice” thing puts me right off), but I’ll admit to occasionally wishing for a magic wand to erase my sagging eyelids and shore up other bits that are gradually succumbing to gravity.

A woman’s desire to be considered beautiful is understandable, but none of the lotions, potions or procedures we can undergo is ever permanent. Do what one will, eventually youthful beauty fades.

There is only one way to become beautiful and remain so throughout  life, and that is by cultivating inner beauty.  It isn’t alluring innards, however, but, a generous, loving soul that is eternally beautiful.

We seek outward beauty to inspire the approval and affection of others, we want to draw them to us. We want to be attractive.

Consistently treating our family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances and even strangers with sincere kindness, generosity, respect and love will act like a magnet. That kind of attractiveness lasts into old age and beyond.

I can take a scalpel to my personality, excising the ugly warts of selfishness, indifference, greed and arrogance, as many times as necessary with no fear of leaving a scars.

Can a woman be too beautiful?  Perhaps not.