I really like my esthetician, Isabel. She is from Colombia, she is kind and gracious, and her eyes seem lit with joy every time I see her. 

But Isabel does not like my moles. I prefer to call them beauty marks. She prefers to call them unnecessary. She wants them off my face. She says they’re not needed. All it will take is a simple procedure to remove the 16 or so moles. It will also take just $150, which I’m not in a hurry to pay. This isn’t a necessity people! It’s more of an option. I like options.

Options give you time to consider an array of opportunities. And as I’ve considered removing my beauty marks, I realize I actually don’t want to. Each one of my marks reminds me of my mother Gloria. She has very similar beauty moles on her face, closest to her high cheekbones. I got the same cheekbones too. I love my mama. And looking like her makes me feel good.

Getting rid of my beauty marks would mean, in a small way, letting go of something that connects me to my mama. I don’t want to do that. I won’t do that. Isabel may or may not understand my decision to not do the mole removal procedure. But I love my moles. I love them and they’re mine.

“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”                                   – Maya Angelou