The sun streamed through the kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. I sat at the table, sipping my tea, when the doorbell chimed. A wave of excitement washed over me. It was Lizzie, my granddaughter, a whirlwind of energy and sunshine.
But today, her smile seemed a little forced, her eyes downcast. “Hi Grandma,” she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper.
My heart sank. I knew something was wrong. Lizzie, usually a chatterbox, was unusually quiet. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I asked, pulling her onto my lap.
She shrugged, her shoulders drooping. “Nothing.”
“Come on, darling,” I coaxed. “You can tell me anything.”
After a long pause, she finally admitted, “The kids at school are teasing me again.”
My blood ran cold. “Teasing you about what?”
Lizzie looked down at her feet, her voice barely audible. “My braces… and now my glasses.”
My heart ached. I remembered the cruel taunts I had endured as a child, the feeling of being different, of not fitting in. I couldn’t bear to see my granddaughter go through the same thing.
“Lizzie,” I said, my voice firm, “those kids are just mean. They’re jealous. You are beautiful, inside and out, with or without braces or glasses.”
She looked at me doubtfully. “But everyone else is wearing contacts.”
A mischievous glint entered my eye. “Really? Well, then I guess I need to get some contacts too!”
Lizzie’s eyes widened. “But Grandma, you don’t need glasses!”
I chuckled. “Oh, but I do, darling. I’ve been needing glasses for a while now, but I’ve been too stubborn to admit it.”
And with that, I went to my room and emerged a few minutes later, sporting a pair of stylish, oversized glasses. Lizzie stared at me, her mouth agape.
“Grandma!” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “We look like twins!”
She threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “Thank you, Grandma,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “You’re the best grandma ever. I love you!”
My heart melted. I had never expected this reaction. I had simply wanted to comfort her, to show her that she wasn’t alone. But seeing her smile, her eyes shining with admiration, filled me with a joy I hadn’t felt in years.
From that day on, Lizzie embraced her glasses. She even started experimenting with different frames, choosing colors and styles that expressed her individuality. The teasing continued, of course, but it no longer had the power to dim her light.
And I, her unlikely accomplice, watched with pride as she blossomed into a confident, beautiful young woman, her glasses becoming a part of her unique identity. I had learned a valuable lesson that day: sometimes, the best way to combat negativity is with a little bit of humor and a whole lot of love.
20 Pairs of People Who Made Us Believe That Time Travel Is Already Possible
Although each person is born with a unique set of genes, when kids are born, it’s impossible to avoid conversations about who they look the most like. And some people are lucky enough to find resemblances to their older ancestors, like a bolt from the blue. With children looking like an exact copy of their parents and grandparents, we’re almost ready to believe that it’s a result of some kind of reincarnation or wizardry.
And while scientists are still scratching their heads about our genes, we at Bright Side simply can’t help but wonder about what miracles nature is really capable of.
1. Princess Diana and her grandmother, Cynthia, made us wonder whether time travel already exists.
2. “A side by side of my 3x great-grandmother and my mother”
3. “I think I might be a clone and no one told me.”
4. This family’s genes are so strong.
5. “My dad and me, 1980 vs 2020”
6. “This is me in the mid-’90s and my son in 2020, not quite the same pose, but I like seeing the similarities!”
7. “My grandmother (1940) and me (2005) — I feel grateful to carry on her lovely genes.”
8. “I think it’s fun to look at my dad at 12 vs me at 12.”
9. “Me vs my mom’s yearbook photo (1977)”
10. “My son at a year old in 2004 and his great-great-grandfather at the same age in 1882”
11. “My whole life people have told me I look just like my mom when she was my age. I never saw it until I found this old picture of my mom.”
12. Nature’s miracles with genes will never cease to amaze us.
13. “My dad and me, both at the age of 14”
14. “Found this old picture of my great-grandma. I was amazed at how much I look like her!”
15. This mom and daughter look almost identical.
16. Seems like sometimes nature works like a 3D printer.
17. This granddaughter has features similar to her grandmother, and they both look so beautiful.
18. “My ancestor from the 1700s next to my dad — apparently my family’s looks haven’t changed much.”
19. “My dad’s mother and me, 70 years apart”
20. This bright smile passed through at least 2 generations.
Bonus: Princess Charlotte and Queen Elizabeth might not look alike, but the princess is surely the queen’s mini-me.
Have you seen this kind of resemblance in real life? Do you know any relatives that look like you?
Preview photo credit JUSTIN TALLIS /AFP / Getty Images, Max Mumby/Indigo / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty Images
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