Hiding in plain sight....

She stood in the pew by herself, perfectly put together. Golden honey colored hair cascaded around her gentle features which were carefully accented with mascara and blush, but not over done. She smiled and her deep blue eyes did not look down when the pastor invited everyone to greet one another in the name of the Lord.  She shook hands with those around, asked their names, welcomed them and maybe even attempted a moment of small talk.  She was confident, articulate, even warm... on the outside.  After the service she left the church as lonely as she walked in.  Hiding in plain sight. Broken beneath the beauty.  She returned to her "shoulds" and "musts" and the ticking clock of her to do lists.  She withheld the true beauty of her presence because she couldn't afford to slow down and just be.  She vaguely knew there must be more to life than being busy and perfect and oh so successful.  The longing truly to know and be known tugged at her like a ever present whisper - a lulling buzz barely audible among the noise of reality shows, Zumba classes and staff meetings... barely visible between the images of her hundreds of Facebook friends, her iPhone Instagram photos and her online shopping sites.  To the watching world she emanates success and polish and happiness.  Are you watching?  Do you know how to see beyond the image she presents?  Do you let others see beyond yours? Do we even begin to know the true value we possess - even when imperfect and unlovely and visibly broken?  How can we, when the world tells such a different story?