For My Over a Certain Age Friends...What is Beauty?

I recently read a post on a website I visit dedicated to women of a certain age. Some of the posts make me blush, some make me think, some make me sad...some a little angry. The one that made me think asked the question...Are You Beautiful? I had to stop and think about that which is never a good sign. I've always been overly critical of myself. I lament extra pounds, sags ( for some reason wrinkles don't really bother me, but I hate sags), and wrong hair. I can't explain wrong hair; it has nothing to do with Lori who manages to cover my gray and give me a good cut. But I can't be sure every day that it won't be a bad hair day. I criticize myself if my house isn't company clean, if my car isn't clean, if I leave work undone on my desk at the end of the day...and if I've let my mouth and crazy sense of humor take over...even if just for a moment. See how good I am at pointing out all my faults? I am a master at self-criticism. Pity. So when the author of the post asked the question, I was interested to read the responses. And I realized that the very traits these women were posting that makes them feel beautiful are the very traits I find beautiful in my friends and in people I'd like to be friends with...and it's not about a perfect face or body or talent or material possessions or perfect houses or clothing although those things are admirable and worthy of note...especially our talents. Okay maybe I'm a little in awe of someone with great hair and a great body and who has it all together...but that's just icing on the cake. Good for you! The traits I find beautiful and would like to possess are compassion, patience, love, peace, wisdom, loyalty, a sense of adventure... I'll work on those because I too believe it's really not about the physical (but I'll still keep trying on that), it's about the spiritual and the abstract qualities that create true beauty. One trait I possess that I think makes me border on beautiful is my ability to laugh at myself...loudly and with abandon. What makes you beautiful?