Kisses from the Sun.

As you can see from my pictures, I don’t look like what most people think Hispanics look like. Heck, most Hispanics have a tough time with it. I have blonde hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. And freckles. That’s right. Those dots all over my shoulders and cheeks that were ugly to look at - or so I thought. Then one man changed all of that for me one day about 30 years ago….

That man is my Dad.

I came home crying hysterically because I was being called “freckle face” at school and of course, when you are being called a name in elementary school, the world is ending. My dad sat at the edge of my bed calmly stroking my legs as I lay in my bed trying to spit words out between heavy sobs.

“Freckles are kisses from the sun, Luly. You are so special that the sun looks for you every day to kiss you,” he said.

Well, that just changed everything! Now, I was the special, unique, cool one – no longer the outsider! Those dots on my shoulders and cheeks suddenly gave me a sense of pride. A sense of greatness.

Today, I still have those dots all over my shoulders and some still remain on my face. But for the past few decades, they haven’t been ugly dots. They’ve been kisses from the sun.

In addition to helping me overcome a silly taunting escapade in school, my dad taught me about perspective. Freckles could either be something I hated or cherished - it was my choice. The glass can be half full or half empty.

I like to choose half full! Thanks, Dad!

What are your kisses from the sun?