Beauty comes in marks of perfect imperfection;

They are the stretch marks and cellulite that are engraved into your skin,

They are the freckles and pimples that may cover your face,

They are the moles on your body.

There is some hidden beauty within these marks of evolution

The marks of evolution are your heritage.

Your mom had them,

Your aunts and your sisters and your grandmothers

Your great-great grandmothers,

Beautiful black and white women around the world have them.

It’s the DNA of your ancestors that made you who you are

Your grandmother, pro swimmer during her time,

Lived life ignoring the fact that these marks were there.

She wore her swimsuits with confidence,

Ignoring those staring at her perfectly imperfect legs.

Your aunt, the most confident woman in your life,

Struts around on the beach in her yellow bikini.

The people sitting on their towels pretending to soak in the sunlight

As they stare at this woman with envy.

They don’t glare at her because she’s attractive.

They glare at her because she’s unafraid of their thoughts.

She embraces those curves of her ancestry.

She’s beautiful and elegant and keeps her head up high,

Unfathomed by those marks on her skin.

Women like her are those who remain strong and willful.

 

 

They refuse to allow life to be shadowed by marks on their skin

Beauty is not what is on the inside.

Beauty is confidence.