st mary of egypt

I think of my daughter's closet, full of amazing dresses and outfits - most that she will only wear once - and the money spent on those outfits, and I contemplate the life lesson from St Mary of Egypt. The flesh is temporary; the soul is what matters. Am I teaching my children the importance of inner beauty, or am I focusing too much on outward appearance, perhaps in response to my own scars? I never want them to feel ugly; I never want them to be ignored or teased. I know this is an unrealistic wish - and perhaps instead, I should be teaching them that it is okay to be teased or ignored for Christ's sake, ie. for the beauty of their souls. St Mary of Egypt spent so long trying to tame her flesh into repentance.  It is so much easier for children to form good habits than to attempt to change bad habits later. I know: as an adult, it is a daily struggle to fix, fix, fix and wade against the tide towards repentance and healing. Well, this is the breath, the moment that I turn around. Change direction and think differently.