Trust me, there are plenty of days I don’t love what I see in the mirror. Tired eyes, deep lines around my mouth, freckles that look suspiciously like age spots. Sometimes, I even imagine that there might be superficial solutions to a superficial problem. Like, surely a little Botox here, or gray coverage there, would extend my shelf life by a few years, when it comes to beauty. But then I think about all the older women I know who look beautiful without interference. And when a beautiful person you love wakes up in the morning, the last thing you’d want to do is put makeup on them, right? So that’s where love comes in, for me. True Love, in its natural state, doesn’t need dressing up, or any sort of makeover job. It’s humans who get these funny ideas in their heads to wear fancy clothes, or get plastic surgery. Do you know any animals in the wild who do crazy stuff like that? No way! The coolest and most attractive animals (including humans) are the ones who look completely comfortable with who they are. The ones who drop all self-consciousness to play freely, or give generously. Not because they want attention, but because there’s a light inside them that wants to shine, and maybe warm up other people, in the process. Everyone’s got that light inside, is what I think. But in order for others to see it, you’ve got to grab it yourself, first. Give it a hug, smother it with affection… and be sure to tell it how beautiful it is, first thing in the morning. ❤️‍🔥—Y.B.D.