“My mom is very beautiful.”
I keep hearing his words. An innocence. A trust. “Mama today we played a game at school. When we were called on we had to use our vocabulary word in a sentence. I got beautiful.”
I know that many seven-year olds would say the same when asked to use their vocabulary word ‘beautiful’ in a sentence.
I know that his words don’t come from an awareness of culturally defined standards of beauty.
And I suppose that is why they minister to me so deeply.
For him beauty is defined by one whose kisses magically heal bicycle scrapes.
By one who cheers the loudest when the training wheels come off.
By one whose shirt has absorbed tears and vomit and still doesn’t leave.
For him beauty is laughter and silly joke telling.
And made up songs that make him roll his eyes and try to suppress a smile.
I am very beautiful to my son.
It’s beauty that transcends performance and the things I do.
It is beauty that comes from presence.
I am the one that is there.
Being me. When I’m exhausted. When I’m energized.
Who is a warrior for him. And a poet.
A strong nurturer.
You are that too.
If you have little kids or out of the house kids.
If you have 20 children or none.
You being you offers beauty. In the truest, purest sense.
Beauty that is best discerned by the eyes of a child.
It points me to a Father who thinks I’m beautiful too.
Who thinks you are beautiful.
An expert creator.
Glorious beauty.
Linking with Playdates with God
Ah, this is so good! Our children really do see the beauty in us, that which we offer to them on a daily basis. Because of the Father’s lover for us, it is possible for them to see that same beauty in us. Thanks for sharing!
Your title at Laura Boggess’s Playdates linkup caught my eye right away. I’ve also heard those words from my son. Thank you for sharing this.
Your writing is very beautiful….I remember once while potty training my son, he was patiently waiting on his potty chair when he stroked my face and sang, “You are so butiful to me…” I will never, never forget how beautiful that made me feel. Deeply beautiful, from the depths of me…that kind of beautiful never fades with time. It only grows more beautiful.