When Looking For Her Beauty, Look To Her Heart.

I met a little girl, Princess, recently on a school visit.  Princess, I and a group of little girls were all speaking about our names. Other girls around us were mentioning that they loved their names and why.  Elani loved her name because it was easy to spell. Kayla loved hers because it sounded pretty when she sang it.

Princess said she didn’t like her name. So I asked why not?

She didn't love her name because her name was" pointless."

My questioning of this 8 year old continued: “Why is your name pointless Princess?”

Princess did not hesitate to answer my question she went on to tell me that she doesn’t understand why her mom would name her princess if she’s ugly.

I said to her, “Well that’s not true. Who told you, you were ugly?”

She said, “No one had to tell me Miss Aniska. I just know because I'm different.”

“Why do you feel different?” I asked.

By now I was intrigued. How could someone so young even know what it meant to be different, what it meant to be ugly? What had happened?

Princess seemed bewildered that I didn't know, but she was willing to explain.

She said to me very surely, “Every time I see someone on TV or in the magazines or winning carnival queen, they never look like me.” 

I thought to myself, how crazy this all sounded. But I knew it was far too common of an occurrence. 

“There are very beautiful people who are ugly.” I said

By now I’m sure Princess thought I was insane.

“How can someone be beautiful and still be ugly?” She asked.

I then told her because your beauty lies within. "What you see when you look in the mirror doesn't make you pretty.  What your heart feels, that’s what makes you beautiful."

"When looking for her beauty, Look to heart"