Today a new girl sat down next to me at work. She started at the office last week, and all I really knew about her was that she heated up a Hot Pocket every day for lunch and really liked wearing overalls. I’m not the type to judge. I love Hot Pockets and overalls are pretty nifty.

Anyway she sits down next to me and asks me where I got my shirt. I casually said Kohls and she said “Cool!” Cool? It was like she was never allowed to even think of or say that word. It was too strange for me not to question. She wasn’t from a different country, so I know she knew of the store.

“Cool?” I asked.

“I commute from home,” said said with this sad tone in her voice. I was confused of the relevance to my question until she continued. “My mom kind of hates me,” she went on. “I work, go to class, come home, and do it all again. She says that if I get beautiful maybe she’ll let me do more.”

I honestly couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My jaw dropped. I have heard of terribly mean parents, I have mentored children who have had to deal with them, but my mindset was that as soon as the child who had to deal with them was able, they left.

“You are beautiful!” I seemed to blurt out angrily. I have had my own share of self-confidence issues so it bothers me more than anything in the world when I hear someone so battered and down on themselves.

This girl looks like the kind of girl the Goo Goo Dolls would write a song about. So sad but so sweet. My heart literally breaks for her.

“I’m not though,” she laughed a little. “My mom is beautiful though.”

This girl was giving her Mother way too much credit.

“It’s all in the eye of the beholder,” I said. “Beauty to me is really more about what’s on the inside. You’ve got the girl!” I tried to boost her confidence, but I saw little reveal that it was working.

She just smiled and we didn’t talk for the remainder of the work day.

I just felt that I had to share her story. So maybe a corner of the world would hear about her and in some way, I would do a small, invisible act to boost her self esteem.

Tell the women in your life how beautiful they are every day.

Your mother.

Girlfriend.

Wife.

Friend.

Aunt.

Sister.

Tell them.

Beauty is in every one and every thing.

This old school says it best…