Growing up I always seen how light skinned, long hair, faces caked with makeup, thick boned girls were idolized as perfect. These type of girls were every man's dream wife. My oldest sister was all of those things; she was "perfect." I was neither light skinned nor thick but I did have long hair but I didn't have perfect skin. I grew up with a skin condition called eczema.

I've had it every since I was a toddler up until I was in middle school, it started clearing up and getting better. At a very young age, the eczema started taking over my body and spreading everywhere. My skin even started getting darker. I hated getting asked, "Why are you dark skinned and your sister is light skinned?" But as kids, we didn't know any better. I felt sad that I didn't look like my other siblings and have pretty skin.

I started to question myself was I even pretty? Everyone else looked at me differently and that started making me change my perception on myself. I didn't even like taking pictures with my family because I felt so ugly. Now that I look back on this it's made me a stronger individual. I've learned that it doesn't matter what other people think of you but what matters is what you think of yourself.

Being pretty isn't just about looks but being pretty is about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart, and a pretty soul. Beauty is only skin deep. A person's character is more important than how they look. Beauty isn't just about being a certain skin color, beauty comes in all shades from dark to light. You don't have to have long hair to be beautiful, that's only what society has corrupted in our brains.

The make-up fades after a while and nothing compares to natural beauty. No matter what body shape or size you are you're still beautiful. Society is always trying to tell us to love ourselves yet they make it so hard to. It's so hard to love yourself in a world that's constantly trying to change who you are. Ladies, just remember to love all your scars because those scars are what made you who you are today. You don't have to change a thing you're perfect just the way you are.