This is my daughter.
She is beautiful. Not any more, or any less, than any other girl.
I understand the fear – the desire to protect her, body and soul. I can look at her and see the little girl she is, that needs protected and nurtured and that I sometimes want to sweep away to an isolated island to protect her forever. But then I can look at her and see the young woman she is becoming, her strength in body and mind, her loving soul, her hope for the future, and I look forward to that wonderful energy pulling others into her life that are like her.
I want her to be adored, body and soul, by someone other than family someday. Yes, I absolutely want her to find a partner in life that sees her magic. And yes – when the time is right – I want that relationship to be sexually empowering and fulfilling for her, a trusting place to explore her body and the amazing bond of sharing your body with someone you love. I don’t want to shield her from that.
I want to show her that physical beauty is just a small piece of this amazing life and is in no way the most important thing. It’s not dangerous to be beautiful, it’s not safe to be something less than what society deems beautiful. That someone will love her not because her body is beautiful – but because her soul is beautiful.
My daughter is beautiful. So is yours. And none of us are “in trouble” because of it.
Originally published HERE.
Cindy Johnson is a boudoir photographer who lives in Franklin, Indiana with her husband, 4 kids, and lots of pets. It is her passion to show everyone she photographs that that are beautiful, just as they are. You can find more from Cindy on her Website, or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
