A Measure of a Woman’s Esteem
Nothing can boost your self confidence or rock your self esteem like a comment from a kid. My son will often look at his baby pictures and ask, “Who’s that?” to the six years younger ‘me’ or he will say, “I wish your hair was back like that mom”. I had long hair when he was born. I often wonder if he could talk what he would have said the day I came home with it all cut off. As we are standing at his bus stop this morning, I’m prepared to take off for my morning run/walk, he asks, “Mom how did you get so many bumps on your face?” I’m thinking my skin is looking pretty good lately. I had flawless skin all through my teens and until I turned thirty. Now I’ve been fighting Acne for ten years. I said, “Which one, this one?” He says, “No, all of them.” I’m feeling my face with both hands; fingering to find one, I say, “This one?” He says, “Noooo, ALL of them”. I huff and flatly respond, “I don’t know”. He says, “Well I sure hope I don’t get a lot of bumps like that; look at MY face.” I say, “You’re six, mommy’s skin used to look like that too”. He’s about to start in on my moles and thank goodness the bus is coming.
Somehow the need to come home and look in the mirror made me walk faster. I got in a good workout wondering what happened to my face overnight that I didn’t see while I brushed my teeth. On my walk I’m thinking that I’m so glad my husband never says anything like that. And then I realize if he wanted to, he knows that our son will probably take care of it. I recall when we were going to the beach to hang out for a few hours one day. I was surprised when my husband said he was going because he doesn’t do beaches. I had our beach gear packed up, ready to go. I’m wearing my bathing suit top and shorts that I can roll up. My husband pulls out the ironing board and proceeds to starch some shorts and iron a polo shirt. Our son says, “Dad! Are you kidding me? You can’t wear that to the beach! People will laugh at you”. I with a sly smile said, “Thank you, son”. They tell the truth when we won’t. My husband actually changed clothes.
When I make it back home, I headed straight to the bathroom to look in the mirror. I don’t see anything different and I lean in for a closer look. I say, “Not bad” and shrug my shoulders. Then I recall him saying, “Look at that airplane mom!” I’m looking in the sky and don’t see anything until I’ve squinted bringing it into focus. He has x-ray vision. So I figure I better pick up the 10X magnifying mirror and then instantly change my mind. If I look in that thing, it will hurt my feelings for sure. It’s bad enough seeing my eyes that close up to shape my eyebrows.
As I sit here with my homemade Oatmeal facial to get that glowing look, I’m thinking if he says anything about a mustache, I’m calling a dermatologist!
The compliment I received from him yesterday was a boost that made me stand taller. I had been a few places yesterday in the shirt I was wearing. I saw some eyes dip quickly in the direction of my boobs. My husband, because he can, had that tongue hanging out look that I pretended to ignore. When my son saw me yesterday afternoon he said, “Nice shirt mom!” And gave me (my boobs) a hug.
A measure of a woman’s esteem is Victoria’s little secret!
Sporadically yours!