They will see so many bodies in their life. Photoshopped, enhanced, scarcely covered, perfect bodies. At every turn, my sons will see women used as marketing tools. My daughter will see long, even-toned bodies accompanied by tips to look younger, thinner, to be sexier, more desirable. They’ll see friends and strangers whose bodies are different, somehow “better”. Someday, they’ll see pornography. They’ll see distorted, artificial sex. They will see so many things. Things I wish I could change, but I can’t.

But first. They’ll see me.

They’ll see my stretch-marked, scarred belly and call it “squishy”. And I won’t react, I won’t joke, I won’t recoil.

They’ll see my arms, flabby but strong, holding three kids on my lap because everyone needed attention at once.

They’ll see my chin that is sometimes more than one, snuggled against the tops of their heads as they melt-down because they fell and got hurt or because we couldn’t find the “owl blankie with two tags”.

They’ll see my legs, dimpled and spider-veined, wading in the water with them on a summer day.

They’ll see me swim-suit clad walking into the ocean with them, not sitting covered on the beach because with every step I am taking back the power of the things they will see later.

They’ll see my body embraced by a husband who loves me. They’ll see a man respecting a woman.

They’ll see my hands, not manicured in the least, holding theirs.

They’ll see me respecting their bodies.

They’ll see my face, sometimes made up and sometimes not, smiling back at them. They’ll see my eyes looking into theirs.

They’ll see me, running and playing with them. They’ll see me rolling on the floor with them.

They will see and feel and know true love before the world has a chance to spread it’s lies about love.

My body is powerful. It has carried, sustained, and fed my children. It is a force to be reckoned with.

Whether I love my body yet or not, they will know comfort and love in my arms. The way I present and carry myself now will overpower all the beautiful ugly things the world is going to bring.

They’ll see so, so many things. But first they’ll see me.