My religion has a certain reverence for the body. It is considered in a manner of speaking a sacred physical form that houses the most precious part of us, the real us, most would call it our soul or spirit. Because of that, it is of vital importance that we take care of our bodies so that we are able to function spiritually to our best ability. That is why we have a general health code in what we should stay away from and what we can use. It is why we have a moral code in our behavioral conduct (which involves both mind and body). It is also why we are recommended to dress modestly. It shows a type of self-respect as well as a type of respect toward others.
What kind of modesty is this, that promotes self-respect? Growing up, a lot of emphasis was made on the style of clothes we wore, but as time goes on, it's generally understood that this modesty expands beyond the types of clothing we choose to wear. It's a mindset. I want to discuss both of these briefly.
Dressing modestly is still valid today as it was back in the 1960s when the adults used to literally measure how high above the knee a skirt was. We are a little more relaxed, and let people wear what they want a little more now than back then. That leaves us to decide how much modesty we want to display, and that's a good thing, because those of us who do want to remain modest are doing it consciously and completely by our own will. That's a sign of strength. I personally have never cared for showing a lot of skin, so tank tops, off the shoulder, midriff tops (a.k.a. crop tops), two-piece swimming suits, and even shorts didn't appeal to me. I have no qualms about others who like those things; I personally never liked the exposed feeling, and it doesn't hurt to be covered when the skin burns so easily (just saying). I've seen far too many girls wear clothes to be provocative and to manipulate others by the use of their choice of clothes and find that a completely undesirable behavior that I don't want to follow, so I'm perfectly happy keeping covered and behaving in a more respectful manner toward others. I personally prefer people to focus on my face (whether in a pretty or ugly state) rather than my body, but that's just me.
Now to the other kind of modest: What is it? I believe it is a matter of respect in both self and others. I think when most people think of a modest person, they may think of someone who is humble and not arrogant, but what I'm talking about is much more than this. Its main focal point lies within a person's thoughts and behavior. Referring to the respect toward bodies, I'm thinking of how we view other people. Are our thoughts in the right mindset toward our fellow beings? In our behavior, are we being respectful toward them in our physical expressions (including touch)? Do we behave in honor and dignity in all circumstances? What we see in ourselves, and what we see in others as well as how we treat them is vital for a successful society and good community. That, my friends, is the ultimate form of modesty.
I really hope that made any sense. Sometimes what I'm saying isn't completely clear in my words, but hopefully something in what I'm saying comes across. I also should state that in dealing with others, it's more likely than not that their sense of modesty might be completely different, but it's not appropriate for me to look down upon those people and treat them in a haughty manner, because they don't follow my own ideal.
Kindness Matters.
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