... for Childhood!

Today, I really listened to the words in Pink's song, "Perfect."  I am going to put some of the lyrics here, but I have modified them from the actual to avoid showing curse words.  What I heard was the following:

Chorus:
Pretty, pretty please
Don't you ever, ever feel
Like your less than ------- perfect.
Pretty, pretty please
If you ever, ever feel
Like your nothing
You're ------- perfect to me.
Verse 2:
You're so mean,
When you talk, About yourself, You are wrong.
Change the voices, In your head
Make them like you Instead.

It reminded me of a conversation I had with 2 other mothers of 6-year-olds this weekend.  One mentioned that her daughter had come home from daycare and told the mother that her (the 6-year-old's) belly was fat.  The mother told her that her belly wasn't fat and that she (the mother) liked her belly the way it was. 

The other mother went on to say that her daughter had come home from the same daycare in tears about how she needed to buy all new dresses because nobody liked her clothes.  The mother asked the child if she (the child) liked her dresses and the child said yes, so the mom said, "Then who cares what anyone else thinks!"

Now you may be wondering how these stories and the song relate to my topic of thankfulness tonight.  Well, both of these stories horrified me because these are 2 of Hannah's friends from school, and whatever they experience this summer is bound to show up in conversation/play when school starts.  So the sweet innocence of childhood is fast ending for these girls and could soon end for my daughter as well.  I am extremely blessed that Hannah's beloved Bubba (my mom) watches Hannah over the summer.  I know that Hannah can be a handful, especially for a grandmother, and mom could use the rest, but she comes to play and care for Hannah while I head off to work during some of the most active hours of her day.  That time that Mom spends with Hannah is allowing my beautiful child to enjoy at least a few more weeks of innocence, when she can continue to KNOW that she is a beautiful creation of God.  She can avoid the negative talk of her peers and prevent the negative talk in her head.  I know I won't be able to protect her forever, but for now she can enjoy her summer and I can rest easy knowing she isn't being beaten down... yet. 

So, Today I am Thankful for Childhood!