Beauty and society and my daughters

I love my husband, deeply.

And with that love comes an acknowledgement that we are very different creatures, different habits, different thought processes, even different ways and styles of wearing clothes. And some days that's hard but most of the time I simple appreciate that we have the opportunity to learn from each other and grow from each other. Today though the thought hit me that I can't wait for the day Ben has the opportunity to call our daughters beautiful. That his soft words can influence them. 

Bens view is different than mine, so different. He thinks all my flaws are perfect, he has never once criticized me. He loves me for the way I am and has shown me how to look at myself differently. And how to love myself differently. He knows no one is perfect, and doesn't think that everyone has to look the women in TV to be beautiful. 

I have always enjoyed this little fact, but it wasn't until this day that I have considered how much this positive outlook on beauty will affect the daughters we will raise. How much good he will do.  How much he can stop the twisting of thoughts to look for thigh gaps, or a perfect jaw line, to hate any jiggle on their body or extra skin around their waist. 

I don't think I caught how much damage had been done to me until I married Ben and would bring these imperfections of mine to his attention only to discover, to my horror, that he hadn't even noticed! He hadn't taken the time to study exactly how unsymmetrical my curves were. No mind had been paid to the extra fat on my thighs. He has still never commented on the unsightly girth of my waistline. And odd as it sounds he enjoys my back fat, once I pointed it out to him Ofcourse. It's been an interesting process slowly going through each part of me that society said was unacceptable, unattractive, useless and ugly and see how much Ben DOESNT CARE. 

I can't wait to give that shield to our daughters. Prepare them for the war on beauty that they will face. Have him there with his glowing positivity ready to tell them society is wrong and they are

Perfect.