preemptive ego checks

[guest post by Stephen]

 

Sometimes Liesl is a Mommy's girl and sometimes she is a Daddy's girl.  The other day she was accompanying me everywhere - she wanted to sit next to me at the table, keep me company in the bathroom ... my own guardian ... not angel but ... gnome.  She was keeping me company while I was getting changed and had given me some advice about what I should wear.  After a few moments of silence as I picked out a shirt:

Liesl:  You don't have the MOST beautiful body I've ever seen.

Steve: What? [evincing both amusement and disbelief]

Liesl:  I mean, it's not bad.  It just has bumps and freckles.

Steve:  Oh, yeah, my skin isn't the best.  But I like my freckles.

Steve:  [curious if she happened to have any reference in mind] Who does have the most beautiful body you've ever seen?

[pause... eyes move...] [she didn't already have someone in mind - good!]

Liesl:  Me and Mommy.

I don't think I'm vain, but I guess Liesl just wanted to step on any weeds that might be growing.  Family can be good that way.  Go ahead, try it on someone you love, just out of the blue (preferably while he or she is naked): "You don't have the MOST beautiful body I've ever seen."

I was tempted to try this out on Bri so that I could watch the expression on her face.  But then I realized what that expression would be.  And no amount of 'splaining was going to make her like the joke.  So I told her the story as it happened (although I changed the punch line to simply "Mommy").  She got to glow afterwards, while I was left with my wry acceptance of my bumpy, freckly body... and my delight in having these two wonderful ladies in my life.