SWEET SIXTEEN EPISODE 23: BEAUTY CONTD
my face with the edge of my cardigan. He stood up from the chair and tames to sit beside me on the bed. He grabbed my hand and squeezed gently. 'Are you okay now?" "Yes, I am...fine. I am fine, “I said and managed a smile. "Aliya, I want you to listen to me.

I had no idea this was happening, but I totally understand. I'm with you on this and I promise you, I'll deal with it. Thank you for telling me." I sniffed and looked at his face. Sitting so close to me, I was struck by the resemblance between us. It always came as a bit of a surprise. For a moment, I almost felt like I glimpsed my own face in a moving mirror. "Thank you, Daddy." He drew back a little, so he could look directly at me.

"I remember another Gandhi quote: 'Nobody can hurt me without my permission’:That's what Gandhi said. 'Nobody can hurt me without my permission'." "Nobody can hurt me without my permission, “I repeated after him. "You see, my darling, no matter what you do, you would not be able to control how other people behave towards you. But you know what? You can control how they make you feel." "I hear you, Daddy, but it's so difficult when people just pick on you that way." "I know.

But I want you to know something else; how you feel about yourself is more important than how other people make you feel. You need to develop confidence in how you look. For me, you are the most beautiful girl in the world, “he said with a big smile. "I know you said that just to make me feel good,"I said, shyly. "Well, I guess that's miles better than saying something that makes you feels bad.

But seriously, when I said you are the most beautiful girl in the world that is in a manner of speaking. But there is no doubt that you are a very beautiful and exceptionally intelligent girl. Do not allow anybody to make you think any less of yourself." "But sometimes, I think maybe they are right. How come all the beauty contestants and the models are always like that? As in, tall and stick-thin? I mean, I have never seen a model that looks like me." He sighed and seemed to be thinking of what I just said.

"Well, Aliya, I want to assure you that what you see in the media is the media's representation of beauty, which is also rooted in some people's narrow idea of beauty. Reality often differs from what the media likes to present to us as standard. The only place I have seen everyone looking the same is in a can of sardines." I actually found that funny.

"People come in all shapes and sizes," he continued. "Fat, slim, tall, short, dark, fair, round, square. They are all beautiful. Everyone needs to embrace the way they look and should not allow anyone to define them. If you feel good about yourself, feel confident about yourself and carry yourself with pride, for me, that is beauty. You know what I'm thinking?" "What?"I asked. "I may be wrong. But I suspect that somehow, you have also accepted the standard definition of beauty as tall and skinny. You may not even be aware of this. That is what the media does to you." I pushed further. "Hmm... maybe you're right..... CONTINUE READING: https://ugobestiky.com/2019/03/13/sweet-sixteen-beauty-contd/

SWEET SIXTEEN FINALE
"Not really. A queen is treated like a queen because a queen behaves like a queen. Respect can only be commanded by self-respect. If a queen behaves like a tramp, she would be treated like one." "I guess you are right. I didn't think of that,"I said.

"You see Aliya, if you bought a new dress and throw it on the floor, people would be justified to use it as a rag and mop the floor with it. But if you have a dress, even though it is not so new, but you keep it clean and hang it in your wardrobe, no one would treat it like a rag, or dare to clean the floor with it. That is why the Yoruba say, 'Bi onigba ba se pe igba re, bee naa la maa ba pee'." I was still thinking about this when he said, "That girl, the one that you said was picking on you, what's her name again?" "Bunmi, that's her name,"I replied. "Bunmi, yes.

That's it. Why do you think Bunmi would be picking on you like that?" "I don't know.We are not even in the same class. Yes, we are in the same hostel, but we are not in the same room. I can't remember ever doing anything to offend her,"I said. I had also asked myself the question several times. Once, I even toyed with the idea of confronting her to tell me how I might have offended her. But I did not have the courage to follow through. The closest I came to understanding why she kept picking on me was when she said one day that I was rude because I thought I was better than everyone else.

True, I had finished almost every term with the best overall results. Everyone knew this because my picture was always on the notice board in front of the administration building. But I never thought I was better than anybody. Most of the time,I just kept to myself and did my thing. After a few minutes of silence, Daddy said, "You know, when people bully other people, its usually because they think those people are better than them in some ways or have something they cannot have. Come to think of it, can you pull down something that is beneath you? No. You can only pull down something that is above you.

Bullies are mostly driven by jealousy and a deep sense of unworthiness, an inferiority complex. They only feel better about themselves when they make you feel bad about yourself. So, back to where we started earlier, you must not give them that pleasure. Ultimately, what they do to you says more about them than about you." "Well, thank God she is gone now,"I said, heaving a sigh of relief. "Gone? Where did she go?" Daddy asked as he stood up, stretching a little.

"She has graduated now.You forgot I told you she was in SS3." "Oh, yes, I forgot that. But now that you are going to be a Senior yourself, you have to use your own experience to stand up for other children who may become victim to bullies." "You know, Daddy, I am going to be a prefect."
"Really? I didn't know that? Which prefect?" he asked almost excitedly. "Head Girl,"I said. "Wow.that' s good. Now, you would even be in a better position to help other students." "Of course. Daddy, I even want to donate something to the school clinic." "Like what?" "The Nebuliser.

We don't have any in the clinic, and there are so many asthmatic students, many of them don't have inhalers. One girl in our hostel nearly died last term because she suddenly had an attack and she didn't have an inhaler. She was lucky that I had one to spare. But I think if we have the Nebuliser, it can be used for everyone when that kind of thing happens." "That is very thoughtful of you, my darling.

Now, that's what I call beauty— making a meaningful impact in the lives of others." I laughed heartily, feeling very pleased with myself. "Daddy." "Yes, my darling." "I just want to thank you for everything you have taught me. I have learnt so much. You are the greatest father in the entire universe." "Universe? Not even world?" He laughed. He walked towards me and gave me a big hug. Then, he gently pushed me back. "Sit down, I want to tell you another story," he said as he also sat back on my reading chair. "Okay Daddy, I am ready. "Once upon a time..." "Time, time, time,"I chorused and we both laughed.

"Once upon a time, there was a hunter who lived in a remote village somewhere in Africa. One day, as it was his wont, he went on a hunting expedition, promising his family that he would come back with assorted game, so they could have a feast. However, after stalking the forest for several days and several nights, there was no game in sight. He thought that perhaps, if he went farther into the forest, he would get lucky. But the farther he went, the more tranquil the forest became, not a rumble or a....
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