Nature has some beautiful, unspoken rules. One of them being that the traits needed to be happy, joyful and successful in life are not inherited, they are acquired. The color of your skin, the shape of your eyes or the length of your nose does not equal the happiness in your heart.

If this were untrue then all of those who were well endowed with looks would also be the happiest people on earth. Yet over and over again, it is the lives of some of these very people we find plagued with depression, drugs, alcoholism and sadness. Another sad fact- these very people are the ones idolized by some of our youngsters. Bulimia ,anorexia, angst, depression is so high among teens, it’s alarming.

If only we could reach out to all of them to let them know that each of them is unique, wonderful and has so much to offer; that they don’t have to look a certain way to lead passionate, joyful lives. Isn’t it amazing that in spite of the fact that billions of us inhabit this planet ,there is only one of each?

Let your children know that each of them is truly very special.

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There was once a princess who lived by the sea,
Famed for her ravishing looks was she,
Soft-skinned, slender with long, luscious hair
Features chiseled, bright eyed and fair
Bards oft sang of her beauty and grace
Inspired poets versed odes of praise
Yet when the princess saw her reflection she grieved
For in her eyes perfection was still to be achieved.
She found her face too long, her nose far too small
She hated the fact that she was skinny and so tall
Of course, these were all traits she was born with
Oh how she so wished she could alter them a bit
” I’m not perfect” she said over and over out loud
Remorse descended over her like a dark cloud.
Tentacles of irritation gripped her tight
To brood she lay awake, sleepless at night.
Soon the bards sang of the princess who was blue
Poets wrote of her melancholy deep and true.
One day a bard sang of a girl in the country
Who was in love with herself ,always cheerful and happy.
“Oh, she must be perfect ” to the princess it seemed clear
“That’s why she is so blissful. I wish to meet her.”
The girl was summoned, the princess hoped to be enthralled
One look at the girl and the princess was appalled
So ordinary was the girl, not a dazzling stunner
Surely she must see this when she looked in the mirror
In disbelief the princess asked the girl her secret
How could she be happy when she was not perfect?
The girl replied,” I have my Dad’s eyes and his olive skin,
My mom’s bright smile, my aunt’s dimpled chin,
Grandma’s plump frame and grandpa’s so wavy
These are silken threads of love and heritage woven into me.
So what’s not to like when I look in the mirror
The image I see are of people I hold dear
These traits from my ancestors are what make me unique
I know there is none other in mankind like me.
This thought nourishes my soul and fills my heart with joy
To feel beautiful I know I don’t have to be Helen of Troy.“

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