As your Dad I so desperately want to protect from the expectation that will be placed on you by the popular media, by advertisers, by your peers, and by most every person you meet. I want you to understand and know, from the depths of your soul, that beauty is so much more than the shape and spacing of your eyebrows.
Dear Jemima,
Today your Mum sent me a photo of you in which you are sporting two immaculately manicured eyebrows. You look very pleased, but I confess I shed a little tear.
I remember the day you came home from Preschool, and declared to me with tears welling in your eyes: “I hate my MoBrow!” You have a penchant for dramatic flair, so I wasn’t sure how serious you were, and I was also unclear on what a MoBrow might be. As you curled up in my arms, I quickly realised that this was having a deeper impact on you, and as you rubbed the fine hair above the bridge of your nose, I understood the focus of your distress.
By MoBrow you meant mono-brow.
As your Dad I so desperately want to protect from the expectation that will be placed on you by the popular media, by advertisers, by your peers, and by most every person you meet. I want you to understand and know, from the depths of your soul, that beauty is so much more than the shape and spacing of your eyebrows.
Who you are is beautiful. Your innate desire to be creative in everything you do is beautiful. Your impromptu singing and dancing is beautiful. Your determination to read and learn new words is beautiful. The way that you insist that we pray for the farmers every single night before you go to sleep is beautiful.
I understand that it’s not an either-or scenario. You can be beautiful in who you are and also have finely manicured eyebrows. My concern is that real beauty is consistently put to one side in the pursuit of unattainable, airbrushed, medically enhanced, profit driven standards. Some people and companies make ALOT of money from the insecurity that you share with millions of other people about their eyebrows, and skin, and hair, and teeth, and breasts, and body shape, and … and …
Jemima, you will always be beautiful to me – regardless of your MoBrow or manicured status. Because I’m your biggest fan, and I see you for who you are; a blessing to me, your Mum and all the people whose lives you touch.
Love,
Dad
Absolutley LOVE this Aleem! I dread the day Eden comes home with the such warped ideas about her beauty. As a parent you want to protect your babies from the cruelty the world can bring. Such great words from a great Dad!
Thanks Zoe! Yes, we absolutely want to protect them and sometimes it seems as though we can’t love them fiercely enough. But I have no doubt Eden feels loved and valued and that will stand her in good stead should that day come.