Skin

The prompt over at Sunday Scribblings this week is skin. Now I'll not lie, my first thought was about such a prompt was that I could write some deeply inappropriate things.

But 38 years have taught me not to give in to my first impulse. And so I let the idea of skin percolate and what kept coming to the surface of my thoughts was the idea of being comfortable in my skin. To me, that's the idea that I know who I am and I like myself, feel okay with my quirks and foibles, and am pretty well ready to face the world with my blemishes, my beauty and everything in between.

It's taken me a long time to get to this point; to be okay with my vulnerabilities and weaknesses and to see my own strengths. I'm not always as easy on myself as I could be. But in my son I see myself mirrored back at me. And for him, I have learned to be more patient and more careful. As much as possible, I want him to be inoculated against the pain of not loving himself enough. He's self-possessed and contained, with an ability to care for others that is sometimes surprising in a 6 year old. Right now, he's comfortable in his skin. I'd like him to always be that way.