In Love With Our Differences

When our daughter was just 8-months old, we were on vacation and cooling off in the pool at our condo.  With her sun hat covering her fine, straight baby hair and shielding her from the sun, she was squealing with delight as she splashed in the water while in my arms.  Another swimmer - a little girl who was probably around 10-years old - was fascinated at watching Mya in the water.  I noticed this little girl watching us and smiling and moments later, she swam over to me and Mya and said, 

"Your daughter looks just like you." 

 I smiled and thanked her.  In my heart, I knew that my daughter didn't really look like me.  But I cherished this little girl's kind words.  It made my heart smile, and her comment has stuck with me to this day. 

[Fast-forward to now.]

Hardly a week goes by where I don't ask our daughter...

"Could I have one of your curls?"  

And without hesitation, she almost always says, "No, Mommy.  I want my curls."  [I'll often tease her a bit, and we'll bounce back-and-forth words like - "But I want them.  No, I want them.  But I really want them."]  Our conversation ends with giggles.  

If you know us, you know that our daughter, Mya, has quite curly hair.  And I remind her each time that she could spare just one of her curls for me to have on my head of super stick-straight, doesn't-hold-an-ounce-of-curl-unless-plastered-with-hairspray hair.  But - she insists on keeping all of her curls, and I don't blame her. 

When we brought our daughter home and I became her momma, I started to feel this internal desire to build her inner beauty.  To help her feel comfortable in her own skin.  To be confident in who she is and in how God created her.  

My daughter looks [outwardly] very different from me.  Her milk chocolate-colored skin, deep brown eyes, super long eyelashes, and tightly curled brown (with a hint of red) hair contrasts pretty boldly with my vanilla-colored skin, bright blue eyes, not-long eyelashes, and very straight dirty blonde hair.  And I love it.  

As her momma, I catch myself wondering how long it will be until she knows and sees and understands our differences.  

I see so much that she has in common with my husband and me.  But the outward differences do exist.  And I don't want to lessen those differences.  In fact, I love our differences.  I think our differences are really cool.  

And if anything, I'm thankful for our differences.  

Our differences have taught me the true meaning of what it means to be a family.  What it means to be a mom.  What it means to love.  And what it means to embrace our differences and be empowered by them.  

So with Mya's curly hair and my straight hair, we're gonna continue to venture through life together.  Cherishing our similarities.  Learning from each other.  And embracing our differences.