Ha! Look at the hair! I don't think Mr. Calm would be happy knowing this is up on my blog, but it's on FB, so it's already out there. And I think he's a cutie. ;) This was taken at his mom's condo, and I was probably about a month pregnant. Wow, I was tan. Wow, it would take me years before I could do anything presentable with my hair. Wow, we were young!
And I was cute! Looking back at pictures of myself, I feel a certain nostalgic sadness. I did not grow up feeling cute or pretty, and to this day, I struggle to feel it. I was intensely shy, extremely skinny, had crooked teeth, and until I was fourteen, wore glasses all the time. I was not told I was pretty. The sadness comes from something I can't change: if I'd just felt it, just imagine my confidence!
Too bad that too many of us don't consider ourselves pretty when we really are; that every flaw isn't elevated to everyone else, our noses aren't as big, our teeth as crooked, our bodies undesirable. NO, it's not the end-all be-all at ALL-- creativity, intelligence, and kindness always win out in the end, and are infinitely more valuable-- but if more of us just felt pretty in our own bodies, can you imagine how much more confident we'd feel? We wouldn't berate ourselves and feel bad about ourselves, and do all these ridiculous things to our bodies and faces when we don't really need it?
Or maybe we wouldn't feel that confidence. We know several women who are pretty who still need that constant reassurance. Maybe self-doubt is just built in, hard-wired. What do you think?
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3 comments:
I think self-confidence or self-doubt is hard wired in us from the beginning. Sure, we all know the pretty woman who feels like she is a mass of flaws, but what about the person who can't sing or act, yet is convinced they deserve an Oscar? Or the troll who sees himself as a ladies man? For those people, no amount of failure ever dims their confidence. If you aren't born with that, no amount of cheerleading will give it to you.
And I never realized how much your girls resemble you until I saw that picture.
very thought-provoking post!
cute, yes!
then, yes!
now, yes!
When we are young, every little "flaw" seems enormous. When older, out attention gradually shifts.
agreed that character and inner qualities are more important.
When one is confident, attractiveness seems to shine through. Call that pretty if you will.
I think you look cute now too! In 1989 I had a perm ;-)
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