She makes it sound like she’s a vietnam war veteran who got asked about the war. Jesus christ this is pathetic do they really get triggered by everything?

“What happened to you auntie __ [my name] What are those?!” - my six year old niece upon seeing me sitting down next to her on a beach towel in a bikini.

Not going to lie. I paused. Had a quick moment of panic. Sensed that sinking feeling in the back of my head spiraling me towards that place of insecurity and self doubt around my body image. The way so many of us woman know. When just one comment (even an innocent one) can send us and any of our self confidence work back in time. When one comment can make us not want to wear a bathing suit and feel undeserving of beach time.

Then I looked at her and saw that she had started to tear up. Clearly after seeing my normally happy facial expression change. Internalizing that she had potentially hurt my feelings unknowingly with her question. She hates hurting peoples feelings.

I pulled her onto my lap and laughed.

What did I tell her?

“That is such a good question! Please don’t cry!”

She stopped and listened.

“Those lines are there not because I’m sick or got hurt! I know it’s confusing because you don’t have any of them and they look different.”

She nodded and my sister jumped in.

“They’re there because auntie has lived a lot! I have them too you know!? Since I had you. You know how you are six and we are much older? Well, these lines are just a pretty picture on us pointing to all of those years we’ve lived and telling our stories!”

Know what she said?

“I like stories! I hope I live a lot too and maybe when I’m older I’ll have a pretty picture on me too.”