glad to be a girl

Let me take a moment from my fluffy, every-day-life posts, to tell you something that I think is very important.

All women are beautiful.

I was sitting at the last soccer game Monday night, watching the large variety of women attending their son's game. We have been pigeon holed as 'soccer moms', mini van driving, care-giving, hard working moms. The women who were sitting there last night were of every race, size, age, and economic background. They were there for one thing, to support their kids.

But we are so much more than that.

I used to look at other women, and want to have some of their parts.

If only I had that hair, or those pretty eyes, or those tanned, toned legs. Why couldn't my genetics give me those cheekbones, or that metabolism?

But you know what? Every woman, that we look at and wish we could have something that they do, wishes the same thing when they see us.

Maybe it isn't superficial, like nice teeth, or amazing breasts.

Maybe you see them and think, why can't I garden like that?

If only I could run that marathon!

Why didn't I keep swimming? Maybe I would have made it to the Olympics !

They can really write, or teach, or govern, or do whatever job they have amazingly.

What we fail to recognize, is that every single one of us, has incredible gifts.

That we give to our children, our husbands (if we have one), our parents, and our friends.

And maybe they aren't gifts that you see when you take our picture, but they are there.

Perhaps we are a terrifically loyal friend. Maybe we stay up all night with our child when they aren't feeling well, or are simply afraid of what is under the bed. We visit our relatives, even when we would rather be doing something else. We work our butts off, to get that project done, to help the team. We stay up late to bake cupcakes for school. We support our husbands when they are pursuing their dreams. We clip coupons to save on the grocery bill so we can have a weekend away.

Maybe we know the very thing to say or do when a friend is feeling blue.

That is what makes us beautiful.

That is what makes us special.

Nope, we won't ever be on the cover of a magazine, or featured on the nightly news.

But every woman reading this is amazing, in her very own special way.

So let's celebrate that.

And the next time you look in the mirror, give yourself a smile, and be happy for who and what you are. Because you give the world so very much, just by waking up every morning and being there.