“The true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.” This quote by Audrey Hepburn perfectly encapsulates the true meaning of beauty. Society tells us all the time that our beauty comes from what we look like on the outside. We have to be a certain size, keep up with all of the latest fashion trends, have flawless makeup and hair, and the list goes on and on. We try to live up to these expectations but we constantly feel like we are not and will never be enough. The true meaning of beauty has been lost in the whirlwind of everything society tells us. Our beauty as women does not come from our physical appearance but comes from within. Our beauty is reflected in our souls as Audrey Hepburn so eloquently stated many years ago. It is who we are and what we do that matters. My grandmother exemplified the true meaning of beauty in my life. She showed me through her actions that it is your character and who you are that is far more important than what you look like. Don’t get me wrong though. My Nina absolutely loved her lipstick and nail polish. Her hair was always nicely styled, her makeup done, nails painted in shades of pink, and her outfit matched perfectly from head to toe. She liked to look nice and enjoyed the process of getting ready for the day. But she didn’t let her outward appearance define her and that is what I admire the most. Even after chemotherapy took away her hair, she still did not let it define her. She was a strong woman with amazing faith but she was also gentle, loving, and kind. She had faith in her first-grade students and in what she believed they were capable of achieving. She had faith that a treatment for melanoma, the type of cancer she was diagnosed with, would be found and that she would recover. But if it wasn’t discovered and she never recovered, she had faith that her God would still be with her and never leave her. On May 9, 2020, my Nina lost her three-year battle against cancer. I learned so many life lessons from Nina in the years that I had with her but there are two lessons in particular that will stick with me for the rest of my life. Her outlook on beauty was an amazing example and influence in my life. It is still a daily choice for me to view my true beauty as a woman as something that comes from within and not based on how I look. I am learning to not let society tell me what beauty is and instead be my authentic self. I am enough just as I am. Her faith and dedication to the things she viewed as important was also a tremendous influence in my life. She was dedicated to teaching and had faith in each one of the many students she taught throughout the years. It is because of her that I have chosen to pursue a degree in elementary education. She gave me my passion for helping kids succeed and pursue their dreams. Although she will never see me in my own classroom someday, I hope to make her proud and be at least half of the incredible woman that she was.