Beautiful (for D.S. and all the others)

My friend,

You’re beautiful. 

Your smile,

The way that laughter bursts out of you,

The light in your eyes

When you talk about the things you love. 

You’re beautiful. 

I am so sorry

For a world that judges you

At a glance,

A world that rejects you

For a different image,

A world that is blind

And selfish

And deeply broken. 

I am so sorry. 

I think you’re beautiful. 

The shade of your skin,

The colour of your eyes,

Your hair, and size, and shape,

It’s perfect. 

Who you are—

Inside and outside

You are worth so much more

Than they have told you. 

My voice may not mean much,

But I know

The Master Artist thinks so too. 

Have you seen it?

Can you dare to believe just how precious you are?

You are precious,

Just the way you are. 

Every part of you

Wonderfully made. 

A masterpiece.

Beautiful.