Long before I ever got pregnant, I feared having a daughter. That seems strange since I have only sisters and well, I'm a girl. I just think life can be harder and much more complicated for girls. My husband begs to differ but what does he know? Growing up isn't easy for anyone but so many insecurities and fears seem so much more acute in girls... the social anxiety, the pressure to look, be, speak a certain way.
Lately she's been emulating me. She wants to sweep when I sweep. She brushes her hair when I do mine. She looks at me in awe when I get my hair done or wear makeup. She's fascinated by nail polish and sparkly things. I put her swim suit on her and she twirled and danced and was so happy in it. I've been more and more conscious of how vital my role is in her development and how she values herself. Of course we need to make healthy choices and I'm working to show her that but I also want her to love herself and know her worth regardless of how she thinks she looks on any given day. I want her to know God loves her with a pure and true love and she doesn't have to settle for anything less.
I heard this song recently and it gave me chills. I sing the chorus to her every single day now.
Recorded by: Jonny Diaz
Lyrics
LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN FLIPPING THROUGH A MAGAZINE
SAYS SHE WANTS TO LOOK THAT WAY
BUT HER HAIR ISN’T STRAIGHT HER BODY ISN’T FAKE
AND SHE’S ALWAYS FELT OVERWEIGHT
WELL LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN I WISH THAT YOU COULD SEE
THAT BEAUTY IS WITHIN YOUR HEART
AND YOU WERE MADE WITH SUCH CARE YOUR SKIN YOUR BODY AND YOUR HAIR
ARE PERFECT JUST THE WAY THEY ARE
THERE COULD NEVER BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
DON’T BUY THE LIES, DISGUISES AND HOOPS THEY MAKE YOU JUMP THROUGH
YOU WERE MADE TO FILL A PURPOSE THAT ONLY YOU COULD DO
SO THERE COULD NEVER BE, A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE THE THINGS THAT YOU’VE ALREADY DONE
ANYTHING TO GET AHEAD
AND YOU SAY YOU’VE GOT A MAN BUT HE’S GOT ANOTHER PLAN
ONLY WANTS WHAT YOU WILL DO INSTEAD
WELL LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE YOU NEVER THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD COME
YOU STARVE YOURSELF TO PLAY THE PART
BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THERE’S A MAN WHOSE LOVE IS TRUE
AND HE’LL TREAT YOU LIKE THE JEWEL YOU ARE
SO TURN AROUND YOU’RE NOT TOO FAR
TO BACK AWAY, BE WHOYOU ARE
TO CHANGE YOUR PATH, GO ANOTHER WAY
IT’S NOT TOO LATE YOU CAN BE SAVED
IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED WITH PAST REGRETS
THE SHAMEFUL NIGHTS, HOPE TO FORGETS
CAN DISAPPEAR, THEY CAN ALL BE WASHED AWAY
BY THE ONE WHO’S STRONG CAN RIGHT YOUR WRONGS
CAN RID YOUR FEARS DRY ALL YOUR TEARS
AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THIS BIG WORLD
HE WILL TAKE YOUR DARK DISTORTED VIEW
AND WITH HIS LIGHT HE WILL SHOW YOU TRUTH
AND AGAIN YOU’LL SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF A LITTLE GIRL
SAYS SHE WANTS TO LOOK THAT WAY
BUT HER HAIR ISN’T STRAIGHT HER BODY ISN’T FAKE
AND SHE’S ALWAYS FELT OVERWEIGHT
WELL LITTLE GIRL FOURTEEN I WISH THAT YOU COULD SEE
THAT BEAUTY IS WITHIN YOUR HEART
AND YOU WERE MADE WITH SUCH CARE YOUR SKIN YOUR BODY AND YOUR HAIR
ARE PERFECT JUST THE WAY THEY ARE
THERE COULD NEVER BE A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
DON’T BUY THE LIES, DISGUISES AND HOOPS THEY MAKE YOU JUMP THROUGH
YOU WERE MADE TO FILL A PURPOSE THAT ONLY YOU COULD DO
SO THERE COULD NEVER BE, A MORE BEAUTIFUL YOU
LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE THE THINGS THAT YOU’VE ALREADY DONE
ANYTHING TO GET AHEAD
AND YOU SAY YOU’VE GOT A MAN BUT HE’S GOT ANOTHER PLAN
ONLY WANTS WHAT YOU WILL DO INSTEAD
WELL LITTLE GIRL TWENTY-ONE YOU NEVER THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD COME
YOU STARVE YOURSELF TO PLAY THE PART
BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU THERE’S A MAN WHOSE LOVE IS TRUE
AND HE’LL TREAT YOU LIKE THE JEWEL YOU ARE
SO TURN AROUND YOU’RE NOT TOO FAR
TO BACK AWAY, BE WHOYOU ARE
TO CHANGE YOUR PATH, GO ANOTHER WAY
IT’S NOT TOO LATE YOU CAN BE SAVED
IF YOU FEEL DEPRESSED WITH PAST REGRETS
THE SHAMEFUL NIGHTS, HOPE TO FORGETS
CAN DISAPPEAR, THEY CAN ALL BE WASHED AWAY
BY THE ONE WHO’S STRONG CAN RIGHT YOUR WRONGS
CAN RID YOUR FEARS DRY ALL YOUR TEARS
AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THIS BIG WORLD
HE WILL TAKE YOUR DARK DISTORTED VIEW
AND WITH HIS LIGHT HE WILL SHOW YOU TRUTH
AND AGAIN YOU’LL SEE THROUGH THE EYES OF A LITTLE GIRL
3 comments:
that song makes me tear up every time I hear it.
This is SUCH a good thing to be reminded of! I vacillate between completely accepting myself as God made me, and feeling I should work out more and never eat dessert. It is good to reminded to be healthy but to love the bodies God gave us - He designed us and we are His, so we can give up the judgements on ourselves!
That is a beautiful song. *cry*
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