Beauty and Sexuality Quotes: A #BOAW16 Wrap-up

I have a confession to make. I nearly made this year’s Beauty of a Woman BlogFest the last, and very briefly considered skipping it altogether. I’ve adored each year’s event immensely, yet as I work hard to build my businesses, I wondered if the investment of time and other resources made sense.

Then I snapped back to my senses! 

A peek at previous years’ contributions reminded of how meaningful the words and ideas can be. Besides, I have the easy part; contributors are the ones who pour their hearts, souls and ideas out—often for others’ sake. 

I’m SO GLAD I opened up my blog living room in this way again. (And yes, I plan to keep things rolling in ’17! :)) Truly, I’ve been blown away, and cannot thank all who participated enough. You’re gifts. Please know that your words have touched many hearts, and will continue to do so.

Because the fest is all about the festers, I’m again wrapping BOAW up with highlights from each post—one thought of the many that struck me. (Geez, it was tough to choose!)

Whether you’ve had a chance to read all of the contributions or not, I hope you enjoy this quicker-read as a first glance or a refresher. Consider it a tapestry festers made possible.

Original category:

“And for all her flaws in raising me, once I was an adult, my mother and I were best friends.” — Kassandra Lamb

“Our sense of beauty and self-worth begins long before we become women.” — Lynn Kelley

“It is only now, through my healing that I can see what I missed. That our beauty, and strength, comes from our differences, ‘weaknesses’, and surrender.” — Kendra Tanner

“All I want to see when I look in the mirror is someone who feels happy. Maybe that’s the quality that pleases my senses.” —Gayle Carline

“If I listened to the media, I’d be trying to lose another 20 pounds. I’m not going to… I’m comfortable where my body is meant to be.”— Jennifer Jensen

“Am I ever going to be most beautiful to someone who I’d like to welcome into my life? With my soft heart, all the love I have to give and my hips, breasts and hourglass figure?” — Aurora Jean Alexander

“Too much in society tell us that we are not ‘right.’ We can believe them, or we can embrace our own truths.” — Nicole

“I appreciate my body because it works hard. I have scars and bruises and curves and sags. I have earned every one of my marks of survival, and they are beautiful.” — Kelly Wilson

“The beauty of being transcends any framing of or confining to one day, one experience, or one moment.” — KM Huber

“As I continue to age … and I’m so glad I do … I become more aware of the years ahead of me and the possibilities that exist.” — Patricia Sands

“Our little voice is the most beautiful part of who we are, because it’s the truth of who we are.” — Jan Morrill

“We must embrace our quirks and flaws and blend them into the beauty that is each of our own unique and fantastic selves!” — Kimberly Bost

“True beauty is so much more than smooth clear skin or shapely curves—it is attitude, courage, intelligence, and compassion. It is not just loveliness, but loving kindness.” — Jenny Redbug

“Love and Life are bigger than my little place in the universe and are full of unpredictable surprises. For now, I’ll just see where the newness of Life leads me.”— Diana Beebe

“The beauty of a woman is an intangible thing. Not found in a particular shape or a certain color.” — Amy Kennedy

“The beauty of a woman is in her connections. Her bonding and her backbone. Her caring and her kindness.” — Jenny Hansen

“I am the body that looks in the mirror and sees wisdom etched by laughter into its face and beauty carved by blood into its scars – the body at peace with itself.” — Piper Bayard

“Now when I look in the mirror and notice the crow’s feet and crazed crackles on my cheeks I will think Hooray! Now my exterior matches my interior.” — Audrey Kalman

“I bet as a whole, we complain a lot about the pair we have… But guess what? Our breasts are AMAZING!”— Tiffany A White

“Our power, our beauty, lies in the strength we give to each other freely.” — Aleisha Gore

“I am 47 years old and Clinically Depressed, battered, bruised, incomplete, but not defeated. May soothing rain fall on me and help me chase Cloud away.”— Michelle

“I had to get into a male mind to think about what he sensed, what he felt, his sense of abandon, his goals (obvious, that one). I am still not sure if I got it right.” — Christy Jackson Nicholas

Girl Boner® category:

“So remember, please, that you can be any color you like. Today, you might be red. Tomorrow, perhaps purple. And tonight, while I’m being Steve-O Bing, perhaps you’ll be someone too.” — Lana Fox

“There’s this myth that says people have to actually have sex to own their sexuality. Once upon a time I may have even agreed with them…but as I’ve matured, I’ve started to view things differently.” — Kitt Crescendo

“I promise I will let my excitement for all things be abundant, uninhibited and unbridled from now on. I will never curb my enthusiasm again!” — Tabitha Rayne

“When I talk of my own experience with sexual abuse, I often mention how lucky I was. So many other survivors I know suffered for years and much more severely.” — Drew Sheldon

“In my normal life, I struggle to cede control to anyone. But there was something liberating about these fake personas which helped me lower my guard and lean into the experience.” — Pam Costa

“My boobs’ FB relationship status would be ‘It’s complicated.’”— Devi Ansevi

“IBS is one of the least girlie, least sexy personal health issue to talk about, but it has a huge effect on our sex lives and our self-esteem. It’s hard to shine when you have the magical constipated diarrhea bloaty belly.” — Mona Darling

“Whilst we have more opportunity than ever to be ourselves, unless we become comfortable in our own skin, for many of us our sexuality will be quietly tucked away unless we can find those safe spots.” — Anna Sky

“I am beautiful, I am sexy. You are beautiful and you are sexy. When you realise that, your world opens up.” — Victoria Blisse

“…lately I’ve found myself wishing that I can write my libido back to life. That I can use my skills as an erotica writer, my imagination and my fingers clacking on the keys of my netbook keyboard to write it back into place properly.”— Jillian Boyd

“As he took the bra away, my breasts hung heavy, my nipples brushing the silky material of my blouse.” — Lily Harlem

“With my confidence sky-high, I realised that the myths of sex are exactly that, and I opened up to my sexuality even more.”— Charlotte Howard

“YES, it’s possible to keep your sexy inner pilot light on and once you have felt the benefit of doing so, I’m sure you’ll wonder how you ever deprived yourself of knowing the possibilities of pleasure in your own life.” — Dr. Megan Fleming

“Sex is beautiful. Facing sex is beautiful. Rear-entry sex is beautiful. Woman-on-top is beautiful, and solo sex is especially poignant because it connects a person with the beauty and wonder of their own body.” — Trish Causey

“There is a certain je ne sais quoi  around a woman so in touch with her pleasure that makes people think  ‘I want a dose of what she’s having.’” — Bree

RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS:

Professional manuscript evaluation from Jenny Redbug:

• Diana Beebe

Global Girlfriend goodies:

• Aurora Jean Alexander
• Kitt Crescendo
• Tiffany A White
• Lynn Kelley
• Audrey Kalman

Congrats, winners! I’ll reach out to you all today.

Huge thanks to all of you who made #BOAW16 a success! You helped remind many how much words and true beauty matter.