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May 5, 2012

Radiant


I try to resist the urge to tell my girls how beautiful they are almost every second of the day.  Heaven knows they hear it enough from random, well-meaning people.

It’s hard, though.

Of course I think they are the most magnificent creatures…but I try to focus instead on something other than physical features. 

I praise them for their kindness, for being gentle, affectionate.  I thank them for using nice manners.  I congratulate them on clever ideas and valiant efforts.   

And when the urge to tell them they’re beautiful strikes, I usually stroke their hair, or give them a kiss or a squeeze or a tickle, and tell them for the 100th time that day how much Mommy loves them.

Of course I tell my girls they’re beautiful – they need to hear that message from Mommy, too.  But recently I’ve found myself using the word “radiant” much more often.

“What’s radiant, Mommy?”

I told the girls it’s another way to say “beautiful”, but it also describes something that emits light and energy, joy.

And that sums up my amazing girlies for me.   

Whether they’re squeaky clean from a bath, or dressed in their best for a Saturday lunch…or hot and sweaty from running through the backyard, bits of mulch stuck to their knees…

…they are radiant...exuding joy, emitting light, full of the most beautiful energy.

5 comments:

northsidefour said...

I agree! As beautiful as I think my girls are, I want them to know that they are so much more than that. Amazing is often what I fall to but I love radiant, because, yes, they are radiant, even when they are cranky and icky. Still so many wonderful things!

Julia said...

You know I love this post, Mandy. I completely resonate with all of it.

Radiant is a great word (and I love your definition of it!)! Makes me think of Charlotte's Web---one of the words she put in her web to describe Wilbur. :)

Marcia (123 blog) said...

Okay, I'll call them beautiful for you :)

I call mine gorgeous - the other day K said back to me, "Mummy, you're also gorgeous" -It's good to have a words of affirmation child too :) LOL

But yes, I always always always appreciate the other qualities more - kindness, respect, good manners, etc.

Unknown said...

I love that they thought to ask what it meant! I bet they have the biggest vocabulary of any 3 year olds out there!

MultipleMum said...

I think about this a lot. Both of my twins are regularly complimented for their looks and while I totally agree that they are exceptionally beautiful, I want them to be more than that! You have me thinking that it is time to get out the thesaurus! x

PS Your girls *are* beautiful. Just sayin'.