A Letter to My Granddaughter About Being Beautiful

About Being Beautiful

As I embraced my precious grand daughter, my sister captured this moment of pure joy and certain happiness. My immediate reaction was, “Who is that wrinkled old woman?” But I’ve come to love this photo. My face shows every joyous moment worth smiling about, every story told and laughed about.

Our worth is not in our faces, Emrys, but in our characters. My sun and wind weathered face is a testament to a life well lived; of adventure and striving. A life of learning new paths, fighting currents and adjusting my sails. Let there be wild adventures in your life.

Let our faces show strength and resilience. Let us wear a compassionate face that speaks against injustice and prejudice. A pretty face isn’t enough for you, ask for more.

I am my ancestors, with my mother’s soft kind face and my father’s sparkling green eyes full of laughter. I am the gray hairs of wisdom earned. I am a mother who’s face guided two boys to become men who will change the world. I am a soul that has met its mate who looks past the crinkled bits and sees me as he always has.

To Em, with the beautiful face and gorgeous curls; you are not just a pretty face. You are a baby of seven months who can stand casually with one hand to support yourself on legs that will run next month. You’re a girl who never misses anything; always calculating and learning. You know how to smile and laugh, you’ll earn some laugh lines. You’ll become a mentor and you too will change the world not with your pretty face but with your intelligence and compassion.