Beautiful Daughters

When you have a daughter, you start to realize she's just as strong as everyone else in the house -- a force to be reckoned with, a soul on fire with the same life and gifts and passions as any man,"  at least this is how I see it, from my perspective. "But browsing the make-up aisle at Target, you also begin to realize most people won't see her that way. They'll see her as a pretty face and, and they'll tell her she has to look a certain way to have any worth or influence.   That's the media hype in print and media these days.  My daughter can't compete with "photo-shopped images", nobody can, nor can I.

But words do have power and maybe, just maybe, the words of a mother or father can begin to compete with the words of the world. Maybe a mother's words can deliver her daughter through this gauntlet of institutionalized shame and into a deep, unshakable sense of her own worthiness and beauty."

I often tell my girls to "be true to themselves"..that they are beautiful, smart, funny young women.  "Mom, you HAVE to say that, because you're my mom."   I'd say it anyway, I tell her..but she doesn't hear me.  She doesn't see what I see.

I believe we need to give "a radically different meaning" to the words often used in beauty advertisements such as brilliant strength, age-defying, and flawless finish.  I would love to assure my baby girls that  "Little One, you love everything pink and frilly and I will surely understand if someday makeup is important to you." However, I appeal to her, "I pray three words will remain more important to you -- the last three words you say every night, when I ask the question: 'Where are you the most beautiful?'

 Three words so bright no concealer can cover them. Where are you the most beautiful? " On the inside."

My girls, wherever your journey leads you, may you always feel beautiful and confident on the inside, because beauty is skin deep, and your true beautiful self, your soul, what makes you individual, is what shines brighter than any lip gloss or blusher.  I love that you are who you are and to all of the mothers and fathers out there..may you empower your daughters with the same inner beauty confidence.

You see, while we can provide name brand jeans, haircuts, make-up, we often forget to spend as much time and money on what's really going to matter some day.  There will come a day when some "fella" asks my daughter on a date, I hope he takes the time to see what is inside because when we are at the other spectrum of our life, it is the inner beauty that will hold and keep another soul close to yours.