It was in the middle of a moping session turned kitchen dance party. As I twirled and she twirled and hands raised and we swayed.
Where would she learn to dance and be free if she doesn't see me do it? Would it happen at a friend's house when she is older? On her own in front of a TV?
How will she learn to feel beautiful if she doesn't see me feeling beautiful, finding loveliness in simple things, even [especially] on the un-beautiful days?
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OH...SO SO true! Dance and smile and show them how to be free!
ReplyDeleteOh Steph, you took my feelings and put them on the page. Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteespecially great to read on a particularly un-beautiful day of my own. thanks -- think I'll go dance with my girl!
ReplyDeleteI love this! It's so hard to remind yourself you are beautiful and it's wonderful to have someone else there teaching you how to do it.
ReplyDeleteAmen to this, wholeheartedly!
ReplyDeleteSo true. I think of this all the time. And I think our boys need to see us feel beautiful too so they grow up with a healthy sense of what a beautiful woman really is.
ReplyDeleteI think about that every day, too. What do I model in terms of just simple, free, joyful appreciation of my womanhood/personhood? While I was pregnant with Alex I wanted to be sure her life was full of music and dancing. And she does love it, but I'm not sure I'm getting in there with her quite often enough. It's also a big part of ME that I seem to put on hold. I think I need to unhold it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It's so important to teach our children to enjoy & love the simple things in life! My favorite thing I've taught my boys so far is that it's okay to dance and play in the rain!
ReplyDeleteThere's a song lyric from Kathy Matea, "You've gotta dance, like nobody's watchin' It's gotta come from the heart if you want it to work". Thanks for reminding me to model what is really important to my kids.
ReplyDeleteLove it! So true... You and Ivy both are sooo beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteLOVELY <3
ReplyDeleteSo very much AGREE! : )
ReplyDeleteI love both your couch post and this post. I love how you think and write. It's beautiful, Steph.
ReplyDeleteSo true! Let her see it and learn it from you. Is our little Ivy really this big?
ReplyDeleteI have had to learn that lesson for my girls' sakes. Altho I have to admit that it has helped me out a lot as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes. And she will learn from you. She will find her self-worth in the way you see yourself. I see so much of it reflected in 8th grade girls who say they are dieting or pinch non-existent fat because it's all they see at home.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post! She is absolutely beautiful!! Dance away momma!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! It was perfect timing for the way I'm feeling today! She is beautiful by the way!
ReplyDeleteSo, so very true! This post made my eyes well up a bit. Too many mothers forget that their daughters learn how to treat themselves from how their mothers talk about themselves (and act). You are doing wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThis is so very true, thanks for this reminder. It isn't just our daughters that learn from this, mothers with sons can learn a lesson fro this post too.
ReplyDeleteI needed to hear this today, Steph. It inspired my own post in seeing the beautiful in the un-beautiful.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and true. I catch myself in those moments often. But whereas I can take a thesaurus to explain what I meant, you, talented and gentle girl, can do it in just a few lines.
ReplyDeleteexactly...I still will crank the tunes out of now where and everyone has a dance party...sometimes it is all in a day of fun and sometimes its to break the tension or get rid of the uglies and the kids all join in even my oldest who is 12.5 yo.
ReplyDeleteYou are a beautiful mommy and are showing all your children the beauty of you, them and the world!
She's just gorgeous Steph! Dance on girls! :)
ReplyDeleteJust how I'm feeling. I've been too anxious lately and I know it shows to my little one.
ReplyDeleteSteph, I've read that women and children have a collective memory of dancing from tribal times and that's partly why it feels so perfectly right when we make the time to dance a little every day.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post about two beautiful ladies.
Such beautiful words that hold SO much truth. It has given me something to ponder as I raise my daughter.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. We must teach and lead our daughters to have a better self image. We must believe we are beautiful to instill that in them. God Bless you!
ReplyDeleteThat second photo is priceless.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful reminder that we need to let go and enjoy the beauty around us and within us. If we let His light shine through us, surely our daughters will radiate as well.
Here, here!
ReplyDeleteI think about this often and it's so very important~
:)
I'm trying to do the same with my girls - loved your post...and that girlie is ADORABLE!
ReplyDeleteWow, now that's a profound thought - where have I been I have some catching up to do that's for sure... Thank-you!!!
ReplyDeleteLove this!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder to dance.
Beautiful words taken to the heart of another mother hoping to raise her daughter to live fully and love deeply.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, thank you Steph.
So true! Turning on Pandora in my crabby kitchen right now!
ReplyDeleteNot to sound like a downer, but I find this is especially important to me because my own mother was/still is so extremely concerned about how she is viewed by others- I had to find it on my own, but I want my daughter to "live out loud" with passion and confidence from the star! Great post!
ReplyDeleteoh my, yes.
ReplyDeletelast night the girls had flashlights and were chasing each other in the darkened house. the split second thought of letting them play happened, but i joined in. flashlights, hunting for fairies & unicorns riding us on rainbows. WHAT on earth could be more important than that?
ivy is learning so much good from you.
Yes, we model what we see. And our mothers are such natural models. Need to remember this.
ReplyDeleteWow. Just....wow. Thanks. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a poetic truth you speak here. :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Absolutely beautiful, Steph. You are truly one of the most amazing writers I have ever encountered. And your photography is amazing too. I am so thankful I found your blog. You put feelings on paper like no one I've ever met, or read for that matter.
ReplyDeleteThis is oh so true. Great post!
ReplyDeleteYes! Yes! and Yes!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful words. I need to dance more. Thank you for the reminder :)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness this is so, SO true!
ReplyDeleteLove this post. My mom never let loose and danced with me, and I never knew how to do that. As an adult, I get out there and dance, even though I look like a fool, lol. And I dance with my kids around the house. I want them to remember their mama letting loose and dancing with them.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, my mom was a wonderful mother; this just wasn't her thing. :-)
So, so, so true! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteDid I comment on this post already? I don't remember. But I want you to know that I really, really love it. It touches me, inspires me.
ReplyDeletestephanie@metropolitanmama.net
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