What makes me Beautiful?

Me, 6 months natural

I never in a million years thought I would be doing this.  I mean, me?  Really? No way!  I was the tomboy.  The girl who wanted to wrestle and play football.  I wore my relaxed hair in a ponytail so much that I was almost completely unrecognizable when it was curled.  I ran track in high school and promptly joined the Army right after just to prove how tough I was.  It’s funny how life changes and what you used to value and hold on to changes in a matter of minutes.

That change for me was the birth of my second child and only daughter.  I didn’t realize it then, but this child was going to make me a better woman, a better person.  She would challenge me to really look at myself and how I valued me.  She made me realize that my life was not my own. I had to be a better woman so she could have a better role model.  I wasn’t satisfied with the women I was seeing in the media and around the community.  I began to feel like a standard had not been set that I was satisfied with my daughter following.  So I had to set the standard.  Form the way I dress to the way I talk to the way I eat, even to the way I wore my hair.  I now had this little mini ME watching ME! And I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything I possibly could to give her exactly what she needed to be a woman that I could be proud of, she could be proud of, we all can be proud of.

So at the age of four, when that little girl started to refer to herself as ugly, and not pretty, and not good enough, I knew I had to do something drastic if I wanted to make sure that she never associated those negative connotations with herself ever again.  When ask why she felt this way, she stated that she wanted long, pretty hair like she saw on TV and on her school friends.  You see, my little girl didn’t have any hair until she was almost four years old.  And only then did it begin to grow ever so slowly.  For a little girl not to be able to wear barrettes and ribbons in her hair at such a young age is devastating.  I tried my best to pour into her as many compliments and positive affirmations as I could.  But she wouldn’t listen.  Every time we went near a beauty supply store she would play in the wigs and weaves daydreaming of one day having her own luscious locks.  She walked around with a beach towel on her head pretending that it was long wavy hair when she was at home playing with her older brother.  I watched in agony as she would beg me to attempt to braid or twist enough hair on her head for her to wear a ponytail, then cry when I was unsuccessful.

Fast forward two years, my little girl was developing a complex about her looks, and I felt helpless.  One day, as I attempted to explain to her, yet again, that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, all colors of the rainbow, and with or without wigs, weaves, and extensions.  I told her that she was beautiful even without hair.  After sitting quietly for a moment, my baby girl looked me straight in the eyes and said, “You can say that Mommy, you have long pretty hair.” That little revelation hit me like a ton of bricks.  She was right! How could I convince her that beauty was only skin deep, when I had the same look she was so longing to have?  How could I instill in her confidence in her appearance without completely understanding how she was feeling?  She will probably never know how that day changed my life.  Her words affected me so much that I went and got all my own hair cut off 3 days later.

She LOVED it!! Now we looked like twins.  And to her satisfaction, Mommy’s hair was now shorter than hers, and Mommy was still beautiful!! Some people think I was a little drastic, but I say if I don’t do it, then who will?  I didn’t do it just because my daughter wanted me to, or because it was a fashion statement, or even because I needed a new look.  I did it for the lessons that she learned:  1. Beauty really isn’t just what’s on the outside, but inside your heart, 2. Mommy is willing to do whatever it takes to show her how much I love her, and 3. No hair is just as beautiful (if not more so) as long hair.

In doing this, I realized that “going natural” was more than just about cutting all my hair off for my daughter and deciding not to relax again.  I started to learn more and more about the harmful chemicals that we unknowingly put into our body through our skin and hair.  My perception began to change and so did my desire to live a healthy lifestyle in every way that I could.  But many healthy choices got to be a little pricey on my pockets.  I loved to use those well-known, highly effective products out there, but my budget couldn’t handle it.  After doing more research, and seeking God for clarity and direction, Gracious Gardens, LLC was born.  God has given us everything we need to lead a healthy life AND be beautiful right in the earth.  Every gift of His hands had been graciously given to us to use to build up our temple.  We just have to take advantage of them.

Welcome to the garden.  Take a look around and enjoy all the benefits that natural ingredients offer. Everything here is from the garden with love…

Be Blessed!!