In Bloom

III. PRETTY

I. Yes, that girl in your class with the shining eyes is pretty.

She seems like a dream, with her flawless skin and easy smiles. She is gorgeous, wonderful, the kind of girl that breaks hearts as easily as if they were made of fine china. And this truth terrifies you, because if she is beautiful, how could you ever compare?

Hear this: her beauty does not mean the absence of your own. You might not look like her, or walk like her, or sound like her, but why would you want to? You two are both so different, and so wondrous, that it's impossible to compare. It's as meaningless as having two paintings, both created by famed artists, and asking, 'But which one is better?'

She might be a burning star, but so are you. There is not one star in the sky, but millions and every person is part of the night sky.

II. You can be gentle and kind and loving, but that doesn't mean you can't say no.

When that boy with lungs full of smoke acts like a decent human being, you don't have to reward him with kisses and a place beside your throne. You do not owe anybody anything.

Saying no does not mean you are a prude, and it is not an admission of your own weaknesses. It is your right. Do not let anyone take that away from you.

III. There is not just one type of pretty.

You can be pretty smart, pretty daring, pretty brave- and despite what the media says, all of these types of pretty are equally important and equally valuable. Don't settle for just 'pretty'.

IV. There is beauty in everything.

Even if someone might not have an attractive exterior, it does not mean that they don't hold beauty inside of them. Each human, all seven billion people wandering this earth, hold something of worth.

And that means that you do too.