See that little one up there? She's five. She doesn't read fashion magazines, watch television reality shows, keep up with celebrities, have teen idols, or try to be like anyone other than herself. She looks in the mirror and doesn't dislike what she sees. Wouldn't it be nice if we could stay that way?

This may change as she gets older. She may begin to compare herself to the artificially enhanced celebrities presented in the media. She may define herself and her beauty according to glossy photoshopped magazine ads developed by corporations selling products. There may eventually come a day when she looks in the mirror and sees things that she considers unattractive. Maybe it will be her curly hair. Maybe it will be her size, or her lashes, or her skin. When she is my age she may focus on the gray hair, wrinkles, physical decline, and scars that living has left behind. She may eventually succumb to the message contained in most advertisements targeting women...buy, change, and/or take this because without it you are not enough.

Remember the Dove commercial where women would describe themselves to a portrait artist who couldn't see them? A very unflattering portrait was drawn that looked nothing like the person. Then a stranger would come in and describe the same woman to the artist. The one drawn from the stranger's perspective was beautiful.

This was brought home to me this week on a dentist visit. As I walked in the front door the young pretty receptionist said, "We were just talking about how beautiful your hair is." I turned around to see who she was talking to. There was no one else in the room. I did not even for a moment consider she could have been addressing me or my very gray hair. When I realized she was talking to me I wondered if she was joking. She wasn't and I finally muttered out a "Thank you."

Which brings me to why I even wrote this...

An all-female rock band called The Mrs. formed because they didn't feel like their lives were being reflected on the radio. Deemed by music industry people as being too old to get airplay, they decided to write a song to change their own inner critical voices and "Enough" was born. As they were promoting the song they began putting sticky notes on public mirrors with positive messages such as "You've never looked better" and "You are enough".

Then they took it another step by setting up an interactive mirror in an Austin, Texas, mall and inviting women to judge their appearance from "Woof" to "Drop Dead Gorgeous". The band members were behind the scenes secretly interacting with those who stopped by and sending them positive messages. A few pre-chosen guests were treated to a first-hand demonstration of how gorgeous they are through the eyes of their spouses and family.

I love this video and hope you will, too. I am going to try to ease up on myself when I look in the mirror. I have made peace with my gray hair. The wrinkles may take longer.

Look in the mirror and rock on, Sisters! You are more than enough. As for the little one up there, I pray she always looks in the mirror and sees nothing but her amazing self staring back.