Some of you may know my wife, @aliciahiggison on Twitter. She’s an inspiration to me when it comes to writing. I’m sure it’s done the same for some of you. When she writes, she writes for herself. I always found writing to be therapy for me. I wrote a lot when I was younger. So, I guess I’m back in therapy. Maybe you can have some with me.

The reason why I decided to write this piece was because a thought came to me in a moment. It stuck. And instead of letting it go, I decided to write. Life is hard people. Marriage? Fatherhood? Harder. But I’m trying and this is one way how.

I bought a little something for my wife a couple years ago. (On my way to therapy actually. Lol). I saw it and thought, “She’d love that.” It was a little plaque that read, “Be your own kind of beautiful.” I thought she would take it to work because it kind of embodies her thoughts. She didn’t. She kept it at home. I’ve seen it everyday since and so have my girls. It makes sense at home. It’s what we want for our girls. What we hope to convey to them on a regular basis. “Be your own kind of beautiful.” Don’t let other people tell you what looks right or how to dress or how to think even. Live. Learn. Be you. Your own you.

I’m sure some of you have seen “Noodlefashionshow”. If not, check me out on IG, rhiggison) It’s basically my scrapbook of the amazingly awesome and sometimes ridiculous outfits daughter, Midtown (she’s seven) wears to school. She wears whatever she wants because it makes her feel good and she likes it. And we’re ok with that.

Who am I to tell her what looks right? Or what to wear? I’m her father, not her fashion consultant, I will forever support her in her decisions throughout her life and only correct or suggest when I think it may harm, hinder or be inappropriate. (I figure that may come in the teen years, I hope it doesn’t).

There always seems to be something in the news (or Twitter, as I call it), where one individual is trying to tell another who they can or can’t be. It’s so disparaging. If there’s no harm, there’ no foul and you should let people be who they want to be.

“Be your own kind of beautiful” – if only we all let each other be that way. For me it starts here. At home. With them. I love you, ladies. “Be your own kind of beautiful”.

Love, Dad

But I will too. 🙂