Freckles

I grew up in the South where freckles were seen mostly in some white families, not Blacks families. I was the only one in my family born with freckles.

I remember telling mom how others treated me she would always tell me I was given a special gift and a blessing from God, be proud of who you are say. I never wanted a special gift, I just wanted these things all over my body to go away. I never believed what she telling me when she told me to be proud of myself.

I remember the horrible names I was called, I was bullied and made fun of daily. The only thing I had going for me was my ability to learn. My classmates were nice to me when they needed help, making me believed they liked me. After a while, they were back at the name calling and being mean.

Each day I wanted to know why God was cruel to me exposing me to a world where my brothers and sisters were different, they love me but had questions.

One day I went to a nearby park to think. I sat down on a bench crying no one understood how I really felted. I wanted laughter I wanted friends, to look at me and see a person, not a monster.

Lost in my thoughts I heard a voice beside me, why are you crying? Without looking up I pointed to my arms beautiful I hear a voice. What's wrong with the way you look? I have no friends or a boyfriend like my sister, she is pretty. At that moment I felted comfortable talking to her, these ugly things I have all over my body have ruined my life. I want to be pretty you like other girls, you are beautiful with those gorgeous green eyes.

Hold your head up and look at me, I was amazed by what I saw she was beautiful with freckles over her entire body.

I have a husband, children and a lot of friends, I love myself and every freckle on my body so does my husband she smiled. So stop being hard on yourself you are what God wanted you to be, stop listening to others. I want you to look at yourself in a mirror and be proud of what you see. She stood up and walked away without turning, around tomorrow morning I want you to look in a mirror and explore what you see.

After she left I sit there looking to see her but she had vanished, maybe this was my special angel speaking to me.

The next morning I looked at myself in a mirror and saw myself for the first time in my life beyond my freckles. I looked pretty with a group of freckles around my nose which was sort of cute. I had learned how to be proud of myself and not worry about what others thought.