Entelechy

Entelechy. It's a strange word, and one you've probably never come across. I hadn't thought about it much either, until I went looking for a way to say something I believe about beauty.

It started with two short poems: "A Sad Truth," and then "Beauty's Reply." My granddaughter liked them. That was enough to make me wonder whether I could build a story around them, so I did.

This is that story. It's short, a story first and an argument second. There's a girl in it who looks in the mirror and thinks, I think I'm ugly. I won't tell you where she ends up. I'd rather you walk beside her and see.

I'm not here to lecture you. I just think our culture has gotten something wrong about beauty, and I'd like to think it through, out loud, with you.