The practice pages: Beauty becomes her.

A short discussion with my daughter.

“Do I look pretty dad.” My daughter asked as she twirled into the room where my wife and I were relaxing on a Saturday, my wife was reading and I was using my oblique pen set, she was wearing one of her favorite dresses. “ I even put on bright crystal!”. A while ago my daughter asked me which cologne I wear, when I told her I wear Versace, she said she wanted to wear Versace too. So at Christmas I found her a bottle of “ Bright Crystal”, she’s been wearing it every chance she gets since. 

My wife and I asked our daughter what’s the occasion, and she told us, “ I want to be pretty, pretty girls are so fun to be around, and everyone likes them.” I looked at my wife, and she looked at me. I knew this was one of “those” dad moments, a moment where I need to tell my child a hard truth. Looking at me, my wife raised her eyebrow and tilted her head in my daughters direction. I looked at my daughter, she was smiling and staring at me expectantly. So I told her “Everything is upside down love, everything is backwards.”. Not sure what to think she raised her hands palms up at her side and said “What does that mean daddy.”. 

I continued “ Most of the time in the world boys want to me handsome and strong, and most of the time girls want to be pretty and graceful, but these things are not something you put on. They are not something that you draw on the outside of your body. And beauty and grace are not in the dress you wear, or even the perfume you put on. Beauty is not something you search for, or chase and catch. This is not a game. Beautiful people get hurt, and have broken hearts. Your dress looks very nice, and your perfume is absolutely lovely, but your dress and your perfume are not the real you. What you want is wisdom, wisdom is more beautiful than any dress. Wise people have a relaxing air about them, and they are not trying to convince anyone of anything. Beauty chases people like that. Be wise and beauty will follow you wherever you go. I knew when you were born that having a pretty face would never be a problem for you, when I first saw you I knew that beauty was jealous of you. You have beauty, now find wisdom. A woman doesn’t become beautiful, beauty becomes her.” 

My daughter smiled and went upstairs, and a short while later she came running downstairs in her beat up jeans, an old T-Shirt, and her ball cap. She sat down next to me at the table, took my pen and asked me to show her how to be wise. I hugged her and we practiced calligraphy and talked about stoicism, spirituality, and love.

Practice pages 1

layman Scribe SSI

Author's Note

Review if you want to, I am just saving these for later.

Reviews

[Susan 🦋]

Very nicely done! I've raised 4 daughters and it's not easy. Wisdom...looks like she has a wonderful teacher. :-)

[LaymanScribe]

Thank you.
I told my wife when we got married, that I am a simple man, that I have one mission in life. To be a good family man. I won't be rich, I won't be poor, and probably be pretty boring. But that's my mission. And when our last child doesn't need me anymore (My daughter), I'm a dead man. And she is growing fast. Thanks for telling me that, I appreciate you.

[Susan 🦋]

Enjoy your little one, times goes by too fast. I certainly miss those days. Be well :-)