We Start Young Here

Just look at the expression on my daughters face.

We were watching 'Beauty and the Beast,' and I went into the kitchen for a minute. It was the part where they are starting to fall in love over the birds frolicking in the snow -- you know what I'm talking about? I hurried back into the room, 'cause I was all smiley inside experiencing their love story vicariously, and this is what I saw. So I sneaked back into the kitchen, got the camera, super-spied it around the corner, and snapped this shot. Just look at the romantic sigh of happiness welling inside my two year old. And it got me thinking, and smiling. My personal love story of choice as a little tiny girl was 'Sleeping Beauty,' and I still love it. But 'Beauty and the Beast' is my favorite adult love story. Maybe ever. It just touches me. And my daughter, too. It has nursed my broken heart and super-sized my loving heart. They are both so flawed, yet they redeem each other. They see past each others imperfections, they look inside and nurture their feelings and friendship. This applies so darn well to life. To marriage. To my marriage, specifically. Sometimes I'm the Beast and the Double B is Belle. Sometimes it's reversed. But the point is to not look for perfection, but to love the goodness inside. Kinda hard to do sometimes. But so beautiful to see in others. And oh, boy, when Belle whispers "I love you" and the lights rain from the sky and the beast is transformed and turns so dashingly into the camera... I... just... melt. Most. Romantic. Moment. Ever. They look into each others eyes. Their souls recognize each other. They kiss. And a pretty darn passionate animated kiss, too. I swoon every time. And I look over at my tiny daughter, and she is swooning, too. 'Cause love -- is just love. At any age.

If you're a girl.

Maybe a boy, too. I wouldn't know about that, though.