Thanks For Pointing Out My Big, Ugly, Crooked Nose

"You have a big nose."

"Why is your nose so big?"

"You kind of have a big nose."

"You have an elephant nose."

Dear people who said those things,

You're mean.

But I'm strong. And I'm pretty, and smart, and funny, and my nose is awesome. Yes, I used to be ashamed to walk past people for fear that they'd see the profile of my nose and they'd know. They'd know the sheer terror that is my nose. The sheer embarrassment of such a stupid nose. They'd know what I was hiding... that I was secretly worthless. That I have just a little less worth than my friend with a button nose. Or a lot less worth, for that matter. That I was secretly not pretty. That I'm secretly ugly. That they secretly don't want me.

You people who said those things won. You won big. Because you got me to actually believe those things. You got me to be ashamed of my amazing nose. And embarrassed, and horrified about it. You got me to cry and beg for a nose job, and to google the cost and calculate how I could afford it. You definitely won.

But "won" is such a past tense word.

I'm winning now.

I'm winning because I know I'm beautiful, and I do not need or want a nose job. My nose is flawless because it makes me, me. And without my nose, I wouldn't be me.

So to those people that made a comment about my nose, thank you. I'm not mad at you, in fact, I'm glad you said something. Because you forced me to face the mirror, think through it, and realize how silly I was being. To realize how much of a blessing it is to have a unique nose. To see myself in the mirror and think, wow, you're really pretty. That confidence didn't happen overnight. It took years of being embarrassed, crying, avoiding letting people see my profile, and wishing desperately to look differently.

It's hard earned confidence that I fought every magazine on the planet in order to get.

I am proud of my nose. And you can't put to shame something I am proud of.