Pretty

Tell me I'm pretty.

Or better yet, tell me I'm funny. Tell me I make you laugh and bring some joy into your day. I know my jokes are, um, specific? But I try because smiling is important and laughter is important, especially in these times when there's so much that is the opposite of happy or funny. Humor is the gift we're given in order to be able to bear this unbearable world, a little lifting in the burden that is being us. I'll take that any day, rain or shine, depression or no. Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion but I'll take laugher by itself any time.

Tell me I'm pretty.

Or no, tell me I'm beautiful, but explain what beautiful means. Because, see, I think there's this, I dunno, cosmic idea of what beauty is and I want to be connected to that, maybe. You are beautiful when you do beautiful things, as a literal five-headed dragon once told me, and I like that idea, but how do you know what beautiful things are? Doesn't that presuppose an idea of beauty that is somehow universal, unfettered by culture, or at least understood by all regardless of their culture? By "beautiful things," I'm sure we mean acts of kindness and goodness and justice and mercy, done while awash in a sea of humility, but I don't know how art fits into that, or how the beautiful words I read and know and feel translate into beautiful things and I know how I want to be beautiful but I don't know how to make you see that in me. But I believe in it, you know? I believe it in even though I'm not certain that I could circumscribe it, explain it.

Tell me I'm pretty.

Or, you know what? You can tell me I'm smart. Tell me I ask good questions. Tell me it's worth talking to me because I make you think in new ways. Tell me that you learn things when you talk to me, that your world has changed just a little bit because of the information I could impart to you. I do think that one of the best things we can do is to learn new things, to seek out new ideas and to push the limits of human understanding. I know I have an education bias, but I think our curiosity, our push to see where things can go, is one of the best facets of humanity and I want to hear that I participate in some kind of way, anyway.

Tell me I'm pretty.

Because it's not like pretty is a bad thing. It becomes a problem when it's the totality of what you tell me I am or the totality of what is good in the world. Pretty, smart, kind, cute, funny, nice, none of these things are bad things, and in a world where it feels like there's more hatred than love going around, I think it would only do me good to hear about the good that others see in me. I think sharing positive thoughts, no matter how trite they may sound coming out of your mouth, could do a lot of people a lot of good. Now, that doesn't meant that we stop there. Like I said, don't just tell me I'm pretty. Tell me I'm funny and smart and beautiful. Tell me every good thing about me that you see, not just the stereotypes, not just the ones I want to hear. Surprise me with your kindness so I know that I'm free to surprise you with mine.

Because after all, we're gorgeous.