You Are Beautiful, Day 8

I have a confession to make. I have never looked at myself as beautiful. Crazy, right? But seriously, when I look in the mirror I see the following:

·         A gigantic overbite and crooked lower teeth; my mom could hardly afford dental treatment for us, let alone braces.

·         Irritating hairs on my nose, upper lip and chin that I have to wax every two weeks.

·         Dark scars from old acne breakouts.

·         Hair that refuses to have a gentle curl, but rather tends to be a little wild.

And that’s all above the neck!

When I look at my daughters, I can’t get over how gorgeous they are. My older daughter, Brigid (4 years old,) has beautiful honey blond hair with gorgeous highlights and gray eyes. My younger daughter, Lucia (2 years old,) has darker hair, brown eyes and lashes that go on for days. They are beautiful. I think they are beautiful. Strangers think they are beautiful and they are told just about every day how beautiful they are! (And that could lead to more issues later, but that’s another post for another time.) I see nothing but good in them and the irony is, they are products of me. How can I look at myself as being so unattractive but, yet, I see my daughters as beautiful?

This past March, I was visiting with my aunt and we were looking over some old family pictures. The girls were laughing and giggling at pictures of great-auntie and grandma when Lucia suddenly said, “Look, that’s me!” I picked up the picture she was holding and it was a picture of… me. My picture at 2 years old looks almost exactly like Lucia now.  How did I not see that before? After all, she carries 50% of my genetic profile, she is my offspring, she is of me. Like begets like.

We sometimes allow the Enemy to plant such a skewed view of ourselves that we are blinded to what really are. We listen to the lies it whispers into our ears, we listen to the lies that it spews from the lips of those around us. There is no reason why we should ever doubt our worth and beauty, because we are made in the exact likeness of all that is true, all that is worthy, all that is honorable, right and true in the world. (Phil 4:8) We were crafted with loving patience in our mother’s womb (Ps. 139:13) by the hands of the ultimate artist. The one who inspired the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, The Mona Lisa, Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, created me and He created you.

I am made in the image of God.

You are made in the image of God.

See yourself as the Bridegroom sees you.

Song of Solomon 7: 1-9

“How beautiful are your feet in sandals,

O prince’s daughter!

The curves of your hips are like jewels,

The work of the hands of an artist.

“Your navel is like a round goblet

Which never lacks mixed wine;

Your belly is like a heap of wheat

Fenced about with lilies.

“Your two breasts are like two fawns,

Twins of a gazelle.

“Your neck is like a tower of ivory,

Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon

By the gate of Bath-rabbim;

Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,

Which faces toward Damascus.

“Your head crowns you like Carmel,

And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads;

The king is captivated by your tresses.

“How beautiful and how delightful you are,

My love, with all your charms!

“Your stature is like a palm tree,

And your breasts are like its clusters.

“I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,

I will take hold of its fruit stalks.’

Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,

And the fragrance of your breath like apples,

And your mouth like the best wine!”

“It goes down smoothly for my beloved,


Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.

Karianna is a traditionally-minded Catholic wife, mother and science nerd. You’ll find her constantly on the look out for a drive-thru Coffee House, while driving around Southern California in her Swagger Wagon. Read more of her musings at Caffeinated Catholic Mama.