Beautiful Beneath

When this song first came out on the radio I was touched by its theme. Not enough people in this world truly look underneath to find the beauty in someone, and it's sad. Passenger's cover of the original is the most intimate and touching version I have yet found: I love it.

Every person you meet has multiple layers to who they are. That's not to say people can't have shallow or unpleasant layers, but still, they are more than just the outside. I know I am more than I appear. I mean, just look at me. Would you believe at first glace that I can eat a pizza all by myself? Probably not. Would you look at me and think "She is obviously passionate about Lord of the Rings." Yeah, I didn't think so. I'm not fat, nor do I speak elvish and prance around trying to kill the hosts of Mordor, and therefore am not directly associated with these oddities.
I digress.
Layers. That's what I was talking about.
People are beautiful beneath because they have layers, because they have personality, because they have depth. People are beautiful because they all smile at different things, because they all have a different way of forming sentences. Because they laugh and get upset and think and get excited about different things. Some kids get really excited about pizza at lunch, my brother gets excited when I come home. I get excited about a new box of crayons and the feeling of notebook pages covered in ink.
Every person loves differently, and it's beautiful. It's amazing how diverse this world is, how different we all are. And just because we're different doesn't make any one of us any less beautiful inside. Yes, I will admit some people are verifiably unappealing due to the way that they have decided to act or think. I know I have a very hard time looking at certain people and thinking they've got depth because the way that they think or act appears inherently shallow and annoying, but somewhere in the world there is someone that loves them and sees the beauty underneath. I just have to work harder on being able to see it myself.I want to look at others with a greater desire to see underneath what's on the outside.
The inside is where it gets interesting.

You tell all the boys "No"
Cause it makes you feel good, yeah.
I know you're out of my league
But that won't scare me away, no.

You've carried on so long,
You couldn't stop if you tried it.
You've built your wall so high
You thought that no one would climb it,
But I'm gonna try.

Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?
Would you let me see beneath your perfect?
Take it off now, girl, take it off now, girl
I wanna see inside
Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?

You let all the girls go
Makes you feel good, don't it?
Behind your Broadway show
I heard a boy say, "Please, don't hurt me"

You've carried on so long
You couldn't stop if you tried it.
You've built your wall so high
You thought that no one would climb it.
But I'm gonna try

Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?
Would you let me see beneath your perfect?
Take it off now, boy, take it off now, boy
I wanna see inside
Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight, oh, tonight?

I'm gonna climb on top your ivory tower
I'll hold your hand and then we'll jump right out
We'll be falling, falling but that's OK
'Cause I'll be right here
I just wanna know

Would you let me see beneath your beautiful?
Would you let me see beneath your perfect?

Take it off now girl, take it off now boy
I wanna see inside
Would you let me see beneath your beautiful tonight?

--P.A.