I heard from my cousin this week that my almost-93-year-old aunt had an accident and broke both legs, an arm and some ribs.  Bless her heart.  My heart breaks for her.  I'm so glad I got to see her on my vacation in Minnesota last month.  She is as beautiful as ever and alight with spirit that transcends age.  She doesn't put on any airs, she doesn't pretend to be anything that she's not - she just is who she is - and that, in and of itself, is beautiful.  Talk about self-esteem.  When you can just live in your own skin comfortably without regard to other's opinions, you have achieved the kind of self-esteem that we should all strive for.  

My youngest daughter turned 5 on Sunday.  She too has an ability to be completely unaware of her physical self.  Her little tummy pooches out - she doesn't suck it in.  Her hair is going in every direction, and she just chatters away and has fun.  She dances when she feels like it and she sings out loud.  What a gift to herself and all around her.  Oh to be so free to love yourself.  

It struck me then that the bookends of life are quite similar in this way.  Self-esteem or self-worth are either no longer or not yet tied to the physical self.  They are all about love and joy.  It's quite simple, really.  It's just right there in the middle of those ages that we get it all screwed around.  Paying attention to what the media dictates is beauty is a sure prescription for self-loathing and doubt.  Why can't we just revel in our differences?  Find joy in our "flaws"?   Celebrate our inherent quirks?  We're WAY too hard on ourselves.  Let's work together to break the cycle.  Let's teach our girls to be proud of themselves for important things like helping other people or for accomplishments in school or for being loving toward their siblings (okay, that may have overstepped the boundaries of reality!!).  We've missed out on loving some very amazing people in this life - ourselves.  Let's not let our girls make that same mistake.