Beauty in the eyes of the beholder

This morning Elkan (11) read the article on Fiona Fussi, who at age 15, won the Elite model contest, and who was photographed in a bikini. He also read another article 'Lost in your manga eyes' about girls who go for eye-lash extensions and special contact lenses. Quickly, I went beside him and started scanning the articles, worried about possible negative impact on him (Will it cause a premature interest in girls in him? Will it create in him a superficial [sorry! that is my view!] perspective of what a beautiful woman is?)

So I asked him for his views on the articles:-

Elkan : "She (Fiona) is very young. But the modelling agencies like her, because she is young"

(Ok, it's very down-to-earth answer, with no value system attached to it. I did feel kind of sorry for Fiona though, as it her beauty and poise had nothing to do with it all, just youth...)

Me : "So what do you think about this? (referring to the 'manga eyes' article)"

Elkan: "Very girly and I don't like it cos I am a boy"

(Ok, this is the boy speaking. He has not yet been corrupted with adulthood).

Me: "Would like your girlfriend or wife to look like that?"

Elkan: "I don't know! (laughing) It depends on whether I like it"

(Oh. I understand. It doesn't matter whether she has those eyes - so long as you like her eyes. Hmm)

This conversation reminds me what he once said to me. I asked him - does he think I am beautiful (Yes, the desire of a woman to be told she looks beautiful is so great, that she would even ask her son for this affirmation!).

He said "I don't need you to be beautiful. I just need you to love me".

Well, so for now, he is pure, in the sense that he knows what he needs, what he likes and what he wants - oblivious and unchanged by standards around him. I am proud of him, I must learn from him. ~ Elisa