What defines beauty? Who decides who is attractive and who was hit with every branch of the ugly tree before smacking into the ground--HARD!
This has been on my mind since my youngest child was born.
Punk has a birthmark. It is in no way disfiguring or grotesque. She has a vascular birthmark on her nose and upper lip that, when she was born, was angry and red, but in the past nine months has faded to a sunburn like quality.
I took her to the plastic surgeon yesterday to discuss options and treatments. He advised to wait and thinks its will fade naturally without help.
After our appointment, we ran a few errands.
Now I admit, I think I have pretty good looking kids. I'm proud of how they look (how they act is a different story entirely!) and enjoy making sure they look nice when we go out.
I enjoy having people comment on Boo's brilliant blue eyes and Bug's winning smile.
But after the appointment, I was mulling over the doctors words, and was more aware of people and their response to her.
I can't tell you how many people stopped to tell me how pretty she is. None of them commented on her birthmark, even though its not hidden in any way shape or form.
They just seemed to see a happy, pretty baby in a shopping cart with a frazzled, muttering mama.
I admit, when I see some adults and their children, I think to myself, "How could they even think of having kids?" or "What an unattractive child!" I'm guilty. We all are. I personally know of a toddler who looks like a Muppet. (Kid freaks me out every time I see her.)
But who defines beauty? Is it society, the media, who decides how we weigh beauty and who is found wanting?
I'm shallow enough to admit I like to hear people say my babies and beautiful.
Hell, their mama's one hot mama, so why wouldn't they be?
No comments:
Post a Comment