By Brianna Forsman 
Dear daughter,
We talk a lot about pretty things around here. God blessed us with a princess, and yoy dearly love to sparkle. So, there are often discussions on beauty. It’s a pet peeve topic of mine after watching every woman I’ve ever known struggle with this particular topic in some way, and it’s something I long for my girls to have a healthier outlook on. It’s a subject we have approached with a lot of intentionality to lay a foundation countercultural to everything you will ever hear or see around you.
Today, as we were playing outside, your 3-year-old little self was drawing with chalk. “I’m making a rainbow ocean!” you explained to no one in particular as you swiped the chalk haphazardly across the pavement. Half absentmindedly, I responded, “Oh, how nice! A rainbow ocean would be beautiful.”
Immediately, you retorted with your classic follow-up question, “Why, Mama?”
“Uhh . . . I don’t know,” I fumbled, still partially distracted. Since the ocean is so pretty blue, I guess it would be even more beautiful with a rainbow!”
“I don’t think so, Mama,” you answered, “It’s not what something has on that makes it beautiful. It’s just what it is that makes it beautiful.” You stated it so certainly that it nearly brought me to tears.
Distractions stopped, my heart leaped, and my breath caught at this brilliant response, such a simple yet profound answer.
Yes, my sweet girl. You are so very right. It’s a concept we relentlessly hope you grasp about yourself, comprehend, and apply to the world around you, and it fills me with so much hope. Beauty is not what we put on. It’s who we are.
Beauty is the peaceful look on your face as you paint a masterpiece, accentuated by the adorable paint smudges covering your hands, face, and hair. It’s the way your eyes sparkle with the joy of doing something you love as each wild stroke of your brush dances across the page and brings your huge imagination to life.
Beauty is the joy you bring to the whole world as you gently care for those around you. Bringing Band-Aids or favorite toys to your injured brother, singing soft songs to your sad sister, cleaning a room when Mama is overwhelmed. Each day, you shower the world with your pure, beautiful, genuine love.
Beauty is the grin you give the mirror when you are feeling extra special and proud in your own outfit choice, put on all by yourself. Nothing matches, it’s filled with patterns and prints and skirts layered over pants. It’s all backwards or inside out. There are usually multiple bows in your hair, and every nail is a different polish color, but with that grin bringing it all together . . . I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.
It’s that giggle. That one that bubbles out when you master a new skill like spelling your name, putting on your shoes, or reaching the sink by yourself. The giggle that is accompanied by scrunchy eyes as you throw your head back and laugh with your whole being.
It’s that determination of yours. The one that boldly walks into a new church or dance class, despite the little whisper beforehand saying, “Mama, I’m nervous of new things.” It’s even the loud howls that can carry on for hours because you don’t back down for anything. That level of persistence will serve you well in this world.
Beauty is your quick and brilliant mind, solving problems, soaking in your schooling, and creating complex worlds of imagination.
Beauty is your silliness. That ornery look that lights up your face before you say something mischievous. Your love of stirring Grandma’s coffee. How you love to help cook and want to accompany Daddy on every errand. It’s how you love smelling good and the way you crinkle your nose when the dog walks by and DOESN’T smell good. It’s your itty bitty little voice and the way you pronounce the “ear” sound in words as “err.” It’s the way your hair swooshes perfectly to the side or falls directly into your face. The way you talk forever and ever at bedtime, asking all of life’s big questions before holding my hand and drifting off to sleep.
Beauty is every big and every little piece of you that exquisitely blends to make you you. Every quirk, every talent, every passion, every dream. Every unique gifting and every precious imperfection together make you so positively and perfectly yourself.
And yes, just so you never question what I think, I do happen to think my girls are the prettiest creatures God has ever blessed the world with. With your long, dark lashes that frame your sparkling blue eyes, your shimmery hair, and that adorable angelic little face of yours.
I’m not naive enough to think you won’t have moments of being human. When the inward longing for physical beauty and the societal pressures for unachievable standards don’t take their toll on your view of yourself. They will.
But I pray when those doubts come, and when that “less-than” ache hits, you’ll remember the profound words of your wise little 3-year-old self: You’re beautiful because you are you. Because you are who God created you to be. because it’s not what you put on or change about yourself that makes you beautiful. Beauty is the magical wonder of simply being who you are and the kindness and good you bring to this world.
You, my precious girl, are astoundingly beautiful.
by Echo Vetter 
by Katie Parton 
