I was staring at myself in the mirror the other day, and you know what I am talking about when I say that sometimes the lighting is so spot on it appears that your face is movie-flawless... and then there are days where you feel so blah that when you look in the mirror it's like you are literal death.

Anyway, I was staring in the mirror at my eyes. In my head, they are very typical; nothing overly special about my birth defect.

I don't want to bore you with the Sciencey details about what I am talking about (but if you'd like to read the article, you can find it here), so I'll do a slight break down.

Blue eyes are a birth defect.

We can (and probably will forever and ever) blame genetics for this defect as our eyes do not hold pigmentation that our varied Brown and Green eyed counterparts have.

This is not to say that there's anything wrong with having blue eyes, in fact, this is about embracing our variances. My eyes lie somewhere between a Cobalt Blue and a weird Blue-Grey (and right around my iris is a Hazel ring). I was talking to my team (my Odyssey Family) about their own eye color, whether or not they liked them, and whether or not they were attracted to people based on a specified eye-color. Those that actually responded (no shade I swear!) did so positively, showing the much-needed love for their own eyes.

Although I know that some people feel iffy about their eyes, about whether or not they're beautiful (THEY ARE, STOP FUCKING RESISTING AND LOVE THEM), this list is to benefit us all.

1. Eyes are their own world

People have fascinating eyes, seriously. They come in so many different shades of the same colors, sometimes more than one color... how could you not love them? They're unique (whether or not you think they are is irrelevant) because even if someone else has the "same" eye color, there will always be something different about them.

2. Eyes are the most expressive part of anyone's body

There are some people who are overly expressive with their entire bodies, regardless of what's happening and how they're feeling. However, many people have learned to have a "stage face," meaning that they can hold up a facade as long as necessary... but their eyes always rat them out. I am one of these people. I will always chalk it up to being light sensitive (no really, I am), but I wear sunglasses that you can't see through in order to contain my emotions (although my eyebrows can also give me away... double Whammy here). THE EYES GIVE IT AWAY (there are of course some exceptions to this that are not presently worth mentioning).

3. Eyes with no pigment are still awesome

To my birth defected Family- WE STILL HAVE BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT EYES. I cannot shout it via this text, but know that I am. I know that many of us have fantasized about pigment polluting our eyes with what we wanted to be "perfect" without thinking of how lovely they already were (seriously, though, I wanted Grass Green eyes for the entirety of my childhood). You can slay (and you will) with your eyes, so work it, love them, and move forward. Your eyes are will always be a defect you have to live with.

4. Eyes that are variations of green are solidly wonderful

Throughout my childhood, I coveted the beauty that was green eyes. It didn't matter if they were a solid variation of green or a hazel combo... I wanted them- they reminded me of warm sunny days along tall grasses. They reminded me of freedom and adventure... there's no way someone wouldn't love these. I still feel drawn to them to this day (fascination, as well as general attraction). You rock your green/hazel!

5. Eyes that are variations of brown do NOT look like poo (but do occasionally look like sweet, sweet delicious caramel or chocolate)

I have heard many people refer to their brown eyes as "poop," ... stahp. Your eyes are the most pigmented out of everyone. Your eyes are warm, kind, inviting, deep (do all eyes have these qualities? Sure, but I find that sometimes they run deeper here or are expressed more openly), and intoxicating. Your eyes... holy crap you're eyes are amazing. If words could accurately describe how extraordinary brown eyes are, I could babble forever. Please love your eyes, they are beautiful.

6. Eyes aren't always the same

The actor you see above is Dominic Sherwood, he plays Jace in the series Shadowhunters (he also plays Christian in Vampire Academy), and as you can see he has 2 different colored eyes. Well... technically he has 1 colored eye... get it? because Blue Eyes are a birth defect?... No? Well, fine. Regardless of whether or not someone finds this actor physically attractive, his eyes are... magnificent. #eyeswoon

7. Eyes are always coined as "the window to the soul"

I personally feel there's a direct link between A. How someone is feeling and B. How that relates to them as an overall person. It isn't a coincidence that songs, poetry, stories, etc. often depict eyes in a way that we can SEE (metaphorically/physically/spiritually) into someone's very soul, their mind, the overall essence of themselves. If this were not in some aspects accurate, we wouldn't notice subtle changes in mood through facial/eye expressions.

8. Eyes do not define you

I know this one sounds a little odd, but what I mean is this- just because you fall in line with a specific eye color (or not specific? I don't know how this shit works ok?) that doesn't make you and your eyes superior to someone else's. This leaves varied blues, browns, and greens on the same damn level. EYES are perfect collectively.

9. Eye color envy is ridiculous

I get it, you might not like your eye color, but TOUGH SHIT BOO you're stuck with it. If your eye color was just a part of your heritage would you be so quick to dispel it completely? Don't envy someone else's eyes, yours speak volumes all on their own!

10. Your Eyes are Perfect

I am going to blatantly tell you that you're wrong- wrong if you don't think your eyes are beautiful. Wrong if you don't think they are the perfect shade of whatever the hell they are. Your eyes may not be the ONLY interesting thing about you, but they are one of the most fascinating. They are yours, no one else's. They are adaptations of you as a human, as someone who is growing and learning. Do not forget that, they are always a part of you.

If for some bizarre reason you just can't love your eyes, at least you have me (the weird chick who's obsessed with eyes) to look upon you fondly.