how she sees herself

I saw a report today that overweight kids generally dont know that they are overweight.  As they broke down the statistics, one thing stood out to me.  Not all the overweight kids were oblivious.  The girls knew. 

From a young age, these girls had seen ads and movies that showed thin women.  Not healthy sized women, but starve yourself thin women.  They had played with dolls that looked more like aliens than women.   And they had entered into the trap of comparison, always coming up short.

I see the way my baby girl sees herself now.  She chews on her toes.  In the bath, she explores her belly button.  And frequently when she has sticky hands, she runs her hands in her silky fluffy hair.  She knows she is fearfully and wonderfully made.  She rejoices in her body. 

As she grows I will have to teach her the tricks.  How to find clothes that are both modest and flattering.  How to see that the before pictures always have no make up, poor lighting and ratty hair. How to know when it is just enough make-up to bring out your best features, but not to look like a plastic doll.

But before all that, I want to teach her what she already knows right now as a baby.  Her body is wonderful, miraculous and precious.  She is a masterpiece.