Yes, Norman Rockwell

Over the winter when I was in Winnipeg visiting my mom I went with my niece to a traveling exhibition of Norman Rockwell's paintings.

Now like so many people I have written Rockwell off as a greeting card, calendar artist. I had no idea what a wonderful painter he was, or how amazing those covers looked like when you saw them close in large paintings.

I had no idea of was how well he understood the lives of women.

To follow-up on earlier discussions on girls and self-image, that I have been thinking about (Miss Scarlett's first dress was a success!), I was reminded of these two paintings I saw then, and what different routes of being a young girl they represent.

To me this first picture is who we all are at some stage when we first encounter the size shape and look that is expected.

To me this is the first time we take our measurements, this is a young girl or even part of that girl that stays with us - say even in sewing classes where I hear every woman apologize for her hip measurement as it is taken:

But then there is this girl, and a picture I have on my fridge. To me this is the girl we should let stay this way, before she is or isn't asked to the prom (although I am happy to say girls now go anyway), when she sews for fun. To me this is an older woman, who even if she puts this girl away for a while, comes back to inhabit her in middle age.

Of you are that age and getting that girl back, no explanation is necessary.

 Enjoy your day.