You. Are. Beautiful.

I promise my blog isn’t going to turn into a poetry corner! I actually hardly ever write poetry. Waterfall just kind of burst out when everything in my life felt totally overwhelming, and I was exhausted, and couldn’t stop the tears.

But today, I have something important to tell one of the gorgeous young women in my life.

Earlier this week, she shared with me something some ‘friends’ had said about her looks. I wanted her to tell her that they were wrong. I wanted to tell her why they were wrong. But at the time, my brain was mush. Trying to find the words on the spot was like wading through quicksand…I wasn’t eloquent.

In the days afterwards, this poem slowly took shape, as I fought to express myself clearly. It was important to me that those ‘friends’ didn’t get to have the last say: that their lies weren’t the final impression on my young friend’s self esteem.

So I wrote.
And wrote.
Took a tiny piece of my heart out, and shaped it into words on paper.
I hope it will be enough.

*     *    *

The first time we met
You bounced into my lounge room
Wearing a summery dress
That swished as you walked

I took in your rosy cheeks
And your sparkling eyes
The smattering of freckles
And your hair with soft curls

You were shy, but still
Comfortable in your own skin
And when you smiled at me
Your whole face beamed

I thought, ‘Here is a girl from the
pages of a Jane Austen novel’
This beautiful girl
This “sweetest and best of all creatures”

Then I heard you sing
And my heart skipped a beat
You didn’t just look beautiful
You sounded beautiful too

And the more I got to know you
The more beautiful you became
Because I got to see what was inside
And it shone like the sun

I saw your kindness
And compassion for others
Your unselfishness
And your love for your family

I saw your faith
And your passion for life
Your intelligence and wit
And your ability to laugh at yourself

“Where shall we see
a better daughter, 
or a kinder sister, 
or a truer friend?”

How so much beauty
Could all be packed
Into one small body
I’ll never know

But you don’t realise your own beauty
So someone’s untruthful words
Made you feel like an ugly duckling
Instead of the elegant swan you are

I wish you could look
Into the mirror
And see what I see
When I look at you

A beautiful young lady
With both a beautiful body
And a beautiful heart

Don’t let untruthful words
Clip your wings, little swan
You were born to soar

You.
Are.
Beautiful.

xx S.

(Quotes in italics are from Emma, by Jane Austen)