Whenever I get stuck for a topic for this blog, my niece Jessica always tells me to write about her. I think this is hysterical when I remember that years ago when I was in therapy, she always insisted I not talk about her to my therapist. All the confidence of the 20-something that the world revolves her has been replaced by the 30-something terror at the realization that it doesn't.
Well, Jessica, for all you do, this blog's for you.
Because of odd family dynamics and situations beyond our control, Jessica grew up not knowing me. We got in touch when she was about 18 and I 29, so I've had to cram a lot of auntly nagging and unsolicited advice into these last 14 years to make up for lost time. Since then we've both been married and divorced, I've raised a child on my own, I've finally met Mr. Right, and she's pulled herself out of the socioeconomic class she was born into and forged herself an admirable life. We've both accomplished a great deal, together and separately. And yet we both occasionally look in the mirror and vilify the girl we see there.
When I look at her, I see a beautiful, confident, bubbly young woman who, like the old TV theme song goes, "can turn the world on with her smile." I see someone without whom I simply couldn't have made it through 10 years of single parenthood. I don't know what or who she sees, but it can't be that person.
So Jessica, and all other women out there who might be reading this, please stop talking trash about that girl in the mirror. Chances are there's someone out there who just couldn't live without her.
This, of course, does not apply to me. I can say whatever I want to myself.
P.S. I was able to resist cake at the baby shower today. Be on the lookout for the four horsemen of the apocalypse, because it can't be long now.
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1 comment:
Nieces are awesome. I was fortunate enough to watch all but the ones who are older than me grow up, and I got to grow up alongside one of those.
I will say this, however: the current crop of nieces (let's call them 2.0) are making me wonder just what I found so awesome about 18-year old girls when I was a boy. I don't remember any of them saying the things about themselves that my lovely nieces do.
So I just try to pull the uncle duty as often as I can, and physically, mentally, and spiritually crush anyone who hurts my girls.
I miss when their toes looked like baby corn kernels...
-Z
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