Back in December, shortly after Christmas and right before the New Year, I took my kiddos to the dentist for their bi-annual cleaning exam. Brailey and I sat in the waiting area together before she went in. While we were waiting, a very beautiful lady came in and sat down across from us. Not only was she pretty, she was a bit wild. She had an air about her of love and happiness. She was one of those bright souls who shines a bit brighter than some of us.As she sat down, she looked up at Brailey and I, and said, "Wow!" And then she paused, and I was thinking, "Oh man, what have we done wrong, now..." And then she said, "You two are just beautiful! Sisters?" I kid you not! She asked if we were sisters. I couldn't believe it, and I was incredibly flattered, and I laughed and told her no, not sisters, but mother and daughter. And she continued on, "Well!" she said to Brailey, "You have a very good future ahead of you, don't you? You have good genes. You're lucky!"
I sat there, stunned, but also flattered beyond belief and also amused, because I know it is Brailey's biggest pet peeve to be compared to me. I thanked the nice lady and told her Brailey and I were often told we look alike, but we don't see it. Brailey looks like Brailey, to me. I don't see any of myself in her features. And Brailey doesn't want to look like me. She wants to look like her cousin Candice. But this lady, she sensed my embarrassment, and somehow, she sensed our personal insecurities with our looks. She sensed that Brailey and I don't have the best self-esteems, just like millions of other women. And she gave us some beautiful advice.
She said, "You know what I do? Find one good thing every day that you like about yourself. JUST ONE! That's all you have to do, find one good thing, and let everything else go. Don't focus on the rest. It can be as simple as, 'Oh, I love my hair today!' or anything, really. I've been doing that for two years, now, and it helps. It really does. It is so easy to get caught up in what we don't like, but I just ignore all that as much as I can, now. Just one good thing! That's all it takes, and then go from there."
Her words have stayed with me. What brilliant advice! And so important for Brailey to hear, more than myself. She has her whole life ahead of her, is practically perfect, and yet she harbors insecurities with herself - she hates her nose, her skin it too shiny, she has acne, her pores are big, her arms are too long, her legs are too short... The list goes on. I tell her, all the time, that God gave her that nose, and it is a darling nose! I tell her she is beautiful because of her precious heart shining through. I work hard to reinforce a positive image of herself, and to find her beauty from within. It isn't easy in today's world, where beauty has actually become frowned upon. Being pretty isn't easy. It causes problems for girls today, trust me. These days that we live in aren't like the days I grew up in. These days are far, far meaner than the days I grew up in. Thank God for this sweet lady and her message to us.
This somewhat flamboyant, happy, beautiful stranger made a huge impact on both Brailey and I by her words. I am forever grateful to her for paying us such high compliments, for giving us good advice. When I look back on it, I think she may have been an angel, sent to us with that message from above. She told us something we needed to hear. I am grateful she felt compelled, somehow, to share her wisdom with us, and hope she did so because we are open souls. And I hope, someday down the line, maybe today, in fact, that her words will live on. Find just one good thing, and go with it. Focus on the positive, and let the rest fade away.
