Dear Self: Realization

You are beautiful, with all of your black girl magic.

You live in a world where black is not beautiful. It is a burden. It is violent. It is unwanted. So how do you cope with the overwhelming amount of melanin in your skin? How do you find beauty in the brown, tanned, complication that is you? Here is how.

You remind yourself daily that you are beautiful. With all of your melanin. With all of your differences, you look into the mirror and say, "I am beautiful". Because you are. 

You are afraid to love because you feel unworthy. You continuously point out the bad in you. 

Stop that. 

You see those girls with thousands of followers on social media and you begin to question your beauty.

But what you fail to realize is that you are worthy. Those girls are beautiful but so are you. It shouldn't take thousands of followers or a man to feel that. 

Beauty is skin deep and your skin is deeper than most, purer than most, better than most. 

Embody all that is your black girl magic. That black girl magic is undeniably beautiful.

Your black girl magic is glowing each day from inside out.

Your black girl magic is kinky hair that can be manipulated with an afro comb or a flat iron.

Your black girl magic is being one shade of gold in the winter and another shade of gold in the summer.

Your black girl magic is confidence.

Your black girl magic is knowledge and wisdom.

Your black girl magic is strength and forgiveness. Strength to live in a country that once saw your people as property. Forgive those who look at you and fear you, and hate you because of the color of your skin.

Your black girl magic is power. Aspire to embody the same power as your black queens who ruled dynasties and armies. 

Your black girl magic is melanin. Because some people have to tan every summer just to temporarily be as bronze and golden as you. 

Your black girl magic is beauty. Beauty from within. Beauty from your well structured face to your stretch marks on your thighs, to your bravery and dignity, to your big brown eyes, to your fluttery lashes...you are beautiful.

Beautiful, with all of your black girl magic. Learn to embrace it.