Note before continuing: please play the song "All the Faces" by Creed Bratton for a more immersive reading.
We have been to hell and back...or at least what has felt like hell by our definition.
Always critiquing and comparing yourself to countless others.
And yet, you never learned to stop and just love yourself.
You've been made fun of for being too brown, having too much facial and body hair, and being too big.
Pero, tampoco hablas español.
But you're accepting, kind, a wonderful listener and really freaking smart!
Plus you're always trying to help everyone, which shows your big heart.
(I didn't mean for that to rhyme...oh well.)
You're 29 now.
And sorry but no, those endless prayers and wishes of magically waking up and looking beautiful didn't work. You don't look like Belle from Beauty and the Beast or even Gerri (aka Ginger Spice) from the Spice Girls.
Nor is speaking Spanish or any other language apart from English your forte. It's a learning process that you've been trying to complete for the past 10 years.
But that's totally okay.
You don't attempt to camouflage yourself behind oversized sweatshirts, pale foundation or by shaving every single day.
You don't care anymore about the color of our skin or the amount of body hair that still reaches from head to toe and everywhere in between.
You've learned to accept having broad shoulders, thick arms and thighs that touch because they've allowed you to be strong and sturdy as a coworker once stated.
Hell, you've even flipped a few tires!
You don't hate taking pictures and stopped wearing spanx underneath your clothes.
You're kind, helpful and pretty funny nowadays.
Plus weird. (Which you never managed to change, thanfully).
You're still learning.
Still growing.
Still healing.
To love who you were, are, and will be.
xoxo