Little Pitchers Have Big Ears

  “Little pitchers have big ears…” It’s a quote from a movie I once saw. It was regarding how an outsider noticed that a mother would say outlandish opinions of things right in front of her child and wonder why her child was so fearful of life.  Although the quote was meant for hushing certain topics around your kids, I use this saying for all types of occasions.   One recent occasion being my own personal and physical health.   I am sure I am not alone when I say I complain about my body. I was raised on Glamour, Vogue and Teen magazines that pushed unnecessary beauty products and stick thin ‘role models’ as the only option as beauty for a woman.  I was influenced by these magazine’s photographs that I thought were actual people who really looked this way in real life.  It wasn’t until I had already decided I was fat and ugly that I realized these photographs were highly manipulated by computer editing programs, perfect lighting, and more professional product that one should ever wear.  Nothing was really ‘real’.   But the damage was already done.   My mind was set that I needed to look like these models in order to be considered beautiful, thin, acceptable, a good mate, and worthy of other’s love.  I was convinced that I had to be on a strict diet in order to lose weight and get that perfect body. I trained myself to loath mirrors, wear large amounts of makeup, constantly put myself down, and never think of myself as worthy of anything. Literally, anything. {Side note: it also didn’t help that I was already dealing with childhood depression.}   So, cut to current day.   Ironically, I am a graphic designer; I know the programs that manipulate photography in these magazines – I’ve done it myself as a career.  I am a wife; I know that I have found my soul mate and I deserve all of his love just as he deserves mine.  I am a mother; I am now one of the biggest role models to my three children – both boys and my little girl.  It is up to me to teach how they can view themselves and I do NOT want history to repeat itself.   I stopped complaining about my size and started being more physically active. I stopped saying how ugly I was and accepted others’ compliments. I stopped commenting on how I wish I could look a certain way and find my own style. I stopped criticizing myself {out loud at least; I’m not perfect}.   I stopped a lot of my old ways and started better, healthier ways. Why? Because “little pitchers have big ears” and I want my kids to know they are wonderfully made and perfect JUST THE WAY THEY ARE.