The other day I was at swim practice. Swimming in the water requires you to wear a swim suit, as if that clarification was needed.
We were sprinting that day, so I was out of the water and on the pool deck for quite some time. A girl came up to me who I know, but I wouldn't say we are anything more than acquaintances. She looked me up and down and pointed at me hip and asked, "Whats that?". I looked down perplexed. I looked back up at her and she said, "I think its really pretty."
I have a skin condition called Vitiligo. What happens is that my skin cells don't agree with the cells that create pigment in my skin, so they disappear completely and the spot turns white and spreads at the sight. My body is a blotchy mess. I have these white spots all over my body and they will continue to spread for the rest of my life. I try to stay out of the sun as much as possible because tanning makes the spots more apparent. It does not harm me at all, and I am so lucky that there is nothing truly wrong with me. These spots mock me though. They make me feel ugly and self-conscience. I'm so scared they will be an issue with the career I want to go to, or that it will eventually spread further on my face.
So when this girl came up to me thinking they were pretty... I finally understood the meaning of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."
I'm so glad I had this experience. She turned my true weakness into something of beauty and admiration in a way. Something to be proud of. A different perspective.
I'm so glad that happened.
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