With One Eye Covered

Whew! I had a heck of a week! During that week, I read another blog that struck a chord in me. And I realized....I'm looking at the world with one eye covered. This other blog got me thinking about what my children see when they see me. The blog was from a daughter to a mother. I thought I'd hit the same subject as a mother to a daughter.

Dear girls,
Please remember that you are beautiful. Please remember that no matter how your body may change, you are beautiful. I know I complain about my figure, know that I talk about how my dream is to be "tall, thin and blonde". But the truth is, I won't ever be that. And I need to remember that my words have an impact on you. I see it after I've had an exceptional rant. I see you glance in the mirror, perhaps thinking that if there is something wrong with my figure, there MUST be something wrong with yours. I see you quickly look over yourself, your gaze landing on your thighs. You push on them and grimace and I realize.....I do that all the time.
With one eye covered, I believe I can complain about myself and expect that it won't effect you. I expect that because you are young and beautifully built, you won't take my words and make them yours. I don't comprehend that to you, I am beautiful. You tell me all the time...and I scoff. Your dad tells me and I sigh, feeling he can't possibly mean it. And all this, you see.
The world gives you an image to behold, a model of how you should look and dress. The world teaches that you must be thin to be beautiful. And with one eye covered, it does seem like that is right. But, girls, it isn't. You, just as you are, are BEAUTIFUL. Your body will change, you will gain weight and lose weight. You will have children and your body will stretch in ways you never knew it could. You will gain weight in places you want it AND in places you don't. Through all this, YOU WILL BE BEAUTIFUL.
The world will continue to tell you that you are not built right, it will tell you that you aren't perfect. It will be lying.
I won't always have this mindset. This is my growth mindset. I will probably slip right back into my complain mode tomorrow. However, I will try to remember that you are listening. You are watching and learning. I don't want the seeds of self recrimination to take root in your mind. Don't want my image issues to become your reality. I love you so much and when I look at you, I am so proud to be your mother. I am so proud of the women you are becoming.
I will uncover my eye and truly look at the things around me. I will be cautious with my words and actions and I will claim beauty more often. I will remember that every mark and stretch on my body has been because I carried you beneath my heart. I will remember that your dad means it. I will remember that I am made in His image, as are you. He has created good things, so by deduction...I am good. ALL of me is good. And all of you is good. Good and beautiful.
Remember this when you have daughters. Remember that they love you, that to them you are the most beautiful woman in the world. Remember that you are always amazing to those little eyes. Remember they hear you.
Uncover your eyes, dear ones. Hold tight and never let go. Remember YOU are beautiful. But mostly, remember you are the daughter of the most High King.

Love,

mom