A few weeks ago, while playing in the church nursery, Josie fell on her face, causing one of her incisors to shift slightly. There was a little blood and lots of crying. Thankfully the tooth wasn't loose. I could tell there was a difference, but it wasn't really noticeable according to those I asked. So, I didn't think much about it until.....A couple days ago, I noticed that Josie's tooth had started to become discolored. Oh no. 80( Does this mean her tooth is going to turn an ugly grey color and then fall out prematurely? I don't want my pretty little girl to have an ugly smile! Well, I just read an article by a pediatric dentist that said the discoloration that sometimes occurs after a tooth is injured might be temporary, and it doesn't necessarily mean the nerve is dying (like it does in a grey permanent tooth). It could take months, but there's a good chance her tooth will lighten up. And, even if it doesn't, I'm so thankful that it's a baby tooth. It's going to fall out anyway, so no use worrying about it now, right?
However, this has gotten me thinking about vanity in general. My daughter could care less that she has a discolored and slightly crooked tooth. She wants to be loved, play, eat and watch her favorite shows. She doesn't know anything about peer pressure to look a certain way. She is who she is. I think it's the same for most little kids: What you see is what you get.
And then one day, the comparisons start. I remember being in the first grade and comparing myself to another girl in my class with skinnier legs than me. Why is that? Is there any way it can be avoided or is vanity part of our normal development? I wish I could protect my kids from the pressure to feel like they need to look a certain way. I've been dealing with feelings of inadequacy for 25+ years, and I pray they have more confidence in themselves than I ever did!
Even now, I find myself stressing about how I look, especially in regards to what my two lovely children (and gravity) have done to my body. I would love to have a bikini body, or at least one that I could feel good about. I'm not sure which is a more difficult feat. The first goal is a physical one; the second is an emotional/mental one. I know that there are plenty of people bigger than me who are confident in their own skin (and flab!), because they know that God cares about what's on the inside, not the outside. I hope to someday feel that way. I don't want to get to the point where I stop taking care of myself, but oh what it would feel like not to worry about my reflection.
I know this isn't really what your post is about, but Ben's tooth got knocked around and discolored as well. We were told that it would either be all gray and nasty or they'd take it out. It has since gone back to normal. :)
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