"I Like Myself"

Realizing that negative self image starts at a young age, I visited the familiar hallways of Sherman Elementary School, on March 10th, to read "I like Myself" to the children. As a young girl I never could have seen myself with a crown and sash sitting in the same library, reading in the same chair that I would look up to in complete wonder when guest readers came in. I related to the kids as they walked in grinning from ear to ear excited to see a "princess". I read to children of all ages, k-4, and they responded to the book with so much excitement and appreciation for the message. The book had lines such as "I like me wild. I like me tame. I like me different and the same!"
The kids all giggled together at the silly photos of the young girl in the book with crazy hair, and purple polka dotted lips, but what they really loved was when they had question and answer time. That was where the kids and I could really connect with one another. I had the opportunity to ask every young girl and boy their name and what they liked about themselves. Some said "My hair because its really curly" or "I like myself because I wear glasses" others said "I like myself because I'm nice to my family" but everyone of the children that sat on the carpet, that I once did, had something they liked about themselves. The things that the kids said they liked about themselves are things that teens today often forget to see in themselves today. If they could only go back and see the child inside themselves that child would tell them "You Are Beautiful". Before I left that day, the kids came up to me and asked me "How'd you get that crown Miss Cedar?" and I said "Do you know what a pageant is?"  I explained to them that it is where a group of girls come together and they pick the one that is best at spreading a message. I said "they gave me this crown so that I could come here today and tell you You Are Beautiful, and to remind you to like yourself". The question that followed was "Can I do pageants, Miss Cedar?" and my response? "Of course you can. Any girl in this room who wants to grow up and spread a message can be in pageants!" You never know who may be sitting in that chair one day all because I came and told them to like themselves and  they are beautiful.
                                     As Always, You Are Beautiful.
                                                       Cedar Chambers