Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/deeper-dimensions-of-beauty/5026322/
There is a place in Africa called the Village of Hope. This special place has been hosting, caring for, and educating HIV-positive orphan children since it was established in 2002. Reading about this extraordinary place reminded me of the importance of beauty in the lives of children, as the village was founded on a belief in the healing power of beauty. This belief is on display in every aspect of the village—in the architectural details of the buildings, in the flowers and trees resplendent throughout the grounds, in the provision of pleasing school clothes and spaces, and in the classrooms decorated with attractive and amusing subjects. The children are taught to draw, to play music, to care for plants, and to respect the beauty of their surroundings.
Doctors working at the village have been amazed at the healing power of beauty in promoting the physical and psychological well-being of the children. They note how attention to beauty throughout the village is reflected in the faces of the children and in their smiles. They hypothesize that the children’s physical response to beauty includes increased cerebral activity which contributes to their improved health and well-being (Papi & Fiscarelli, 2021). Their hypothesis is supported ...