The most beautiful woman in the world

February 2, 2006

 

When i was a little girl, people would always call me “turka”. Soon after, I’d ask my mom what “turka” means. Mom would always say it means you’re pretty. At that time when i see someone pretty, I’d call her turka.
October is when you celebrate United Nations season.
My class adviser in elementary would ask me to be “Miss India”.
And I would say “But I’m Filipina, I want to be Miss Philippines!”
But my adviser would say, “NO! you look turka!” And when she say that, it would always remind me of what mom told me…So from then on, every year, I’m Miss India.
Back in highschool, first day of freshman life would mean standing up and saying something about yourself. My class coordinator/english instructor would tell the whole class
” Doesn’t she look turka” ? My highschool friends since then would give me this tag “turka”.
And college came. My psychology professor would let me stand up and ask a mind-bugging question, and as always, I’d find my way out no matter what. After a draw-dropping argument with her, she’d tell the whole class, isn’t she a “turka”?
I grew up with that tag, not realizing the whole concept of the label “turka”. Each time i watch “Miss Universe”, I’d see Miss India always winning along with latin beauties. I myself would agree they are the most beautiful women in the world, sometimes i get envious  of  the  bewitching, uncommon, exotic beauty they possessed.
Then came June of 2004. It was like in the movies. Unexpected, unchoreographed…. I see this guy, he looks at me, and for the first time, I stared at a man. He looked different, a lot different from my race. And at the back of my mind, I was saying “My God! Who is this guy? Handsome but not latin. But Indian!”
I didn’t know at the time he was asking around who I was. For a moment he thought i was Indian! And it took him 2 months to ask for  my digits!
My first date with him, he told me he reminds me of this famous Indian actress. Before he could say the name, I was already telling him I came across this magazine, Time to be specific, that there’s this Indian actress i really admired, featured in the mag as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, along with George Bush, Tony Blair , Mel Gibson. He then asked  me, could it be Aishwarya Rai? And I go like , “Yes!” He said men in India are crazy about her.
From then on, he’d tease me I looked like Aishwarya Rai. And I always tell him not to compare me to her, she’s way too beautiful!
 
Aiswarya Rai is not just a great beauty. She’s known for being so kind- hearted and smart. And for me, being beautiful physically is insignificant. It’s having a good heart and being self-effacing that’s what makes a person really beautiful. A personality that is not insulting , not insecure and for accepting whatever you have and to be contented with what you’ve got. Not trying to be someone you’re not. And with a woman who has everything….that makes her the Most beautiful woman in the world…something I’ll never be.