In the looking glass

I rarely ever look in the mirror. I don't avoid it, I just don't bother with it. I don't wear make-up often and my hair is naturally curly so doesn't require much effort so I don't usually see the point. I'm not a very vain person or judgemental about myself.

In fact, I am very happy with the way I look.

Bet you never hear those words. In a society that is constantly telling people they aren't pretty enough or skinny enough or tall enough. That their hair isn't straight enough or curly enough, short enough, or long enough. That your nails aren't painted the right color or your clothes aren't in style or your teeth aren't straight enough. There is always something wrong with the way you look in the eyes of someone else. Sadly though, we often find fault ourselves in the way we look. I remember thinking I hated my curly hair and the red. Oh, for years I hated being a red-head! And short! I'm only 5'1" and have had issues with high shelves my whole life. And of course, I am overweight but then you already knew that.

I could give you a list of things wrong with the way I look. They would be someone else's opinion though. I don't look in the mirror very often but when I do I like the woman who looks back at me. I love my curly red hair and enjoy the view from down here. I have dark brown eyes that nearly disappear when I smile and a smile that beams when I see my husband and son. As for being overweight, yes I am but here is the catch. I am perfectly healthy and so all that weight is just curves that I embrace. And I know my husband enjoys them too.

I think I'm beautiful and honestly my opinion is the only one that matters. I am happy with the woman I am and I am even learning to love the parts of me that I wasn't born with. Parts like the scar running down the front of my right leg into my ankle. I am made up of many different things. Some I came with and some I have acquire over time. I could hate them if I wanted to but what good would that do? I can not change the color of my eyes. I can only put forth so much effort to straighten my curls. High heels could only give me mere inches. I could lose weight but the curves with it.

There is a woman in the looking glass and every once in a while I stop and look at her. She is getting older and it shows in the tiny wrinkles beginning to form near her eyes. She has changed in the last few years from a carefree young woman to a wife and mother. She sometimes doesn't bother to fix her hair, but merely runs a brush through it. She has changed and for the best. Gone is the girl who hide from the mirror because she was unhappy with the image that stared back.

Today I spare little more then a glance because I know the woman staring back is beautiful, but could care less. She's too busy living her life to stare into the looking glass.