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Friday, February 19, 2021

Just-Right Beautiful

I keep seeing pictures
Filtered and airbrushed and beautyfaced
Wrinkles smoothed, lines erased, pigment evened out
And bland as store bought bread.

Looking less like yourself isn't beautiful
Erasing, painting, changing who you are
Isn't beautiful
You're beautiful 
When you're
Curled up in your pjs reading that book 
Being brave enough to pick up your first surf board
Laughing loud and long 
Kissing your mama
Crying with your best friend
Eating noodles and debating with your coworkers
Walking that enormous dog
Feeding those chickens
Making messes and magic in the kitchen
Driving with one hand on the wheel and the other on mine 
Just living 
Elbows deep.
Not giving a thought to that camera or mirror or unflattering angle. 

You're beautiful
Just-right beautiful 
Just right now
Right there where you are.



Monday, February 15, 2021

Me and My Reflection


When I was a kid 
And I saw the pretty girls getting attention and invitations and boyfriends 
I rode the bus home in silence
Staring out the window at
My own ghostly reflection
Thinking 
It's just you and me, kid.

And thinking 
If I could be pretty enough 
Then I would be loved enough 
And I would be happy.

And thinking
Maybe I could be smart enough 
Or 
Maybe I could be useful enough
Or
Maybe I could be undemanding enough
Then I would be loved enough 
And I would be happy.

And after years of seeing other people fall in love, I thought:
I'm not.

But you 
Love me like crazy and
Laugh at my jokes and
Rave over my cooking and 
Look at me like you're lucky
- Like you're still so unbelievably lucky -
Fifteen years in.

And almost everyone is 
PrettierSmarterUsefullerandLessdemanding

But they're sitting at home with their duds
While I 
Have
You.

My reflection and I were wrong
And lucky
Straight-from-heaven lucky.