"Growing up I had friends & family who were considered very attractive, you know the tall athletic model types so I became the witty girl with a great personality. For the most part I was good with being different fairly confident but deep down like most girls I wanted to feel special, even pretty.
When my daughter Kayla was born 4 weeks premature, I was 19 yrs old suddenly faced with the reality of an 842 gram Down Syndrome baby. My world crumbled. What I knew was no longer. As a instant single mom due to circumstance I was also facing the possible death of my child, fear was now a damaging influence pulling at the core of my being. The first two years for Kayla were quite intense. She had open heart surgery at a 13 months old among many other issues due to her fragile condition. As time passed and I became the make shift nurse /mama therapist Kayla started to blossom becoming more healthy.
As she grew up I witnessed the most loving happy person evolve. Kayla lives her life with joy always looking at the positive in everything. I would tell her daily how much I loved her and how beautiful she is, how she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. As a young mom I felt the need to make self esteem building at the top of my "parenting 101" because I had some struggles with it. I was short, slightly over weight and teased a bit by a couple of kids in school. I worried how kids would treat her. Not only does Kayla have some extra weight but the stigma of being handicapped was a fearful thought. Thankfully we now live in a time where cruelty and ignorance are becoming more a thing of the past. But there were a few occasions where some kids made fun of her and you what it did not faze her, Kayla did not give it one second of her time. (like a super hero with the power to deflect any negative thought from penetrating her emotional shield.)
I finally realized its a choice. We all have two inner voices that guide our self perception. One that feeds on fear/self doubt and the other nurtured by love. Kayla looks in the mirror and thinks she is pretty it's because she feels it. It took me many years of self work to feel it when I say I'm beautiful as a whole. I think women of all ages need to learn how to self validate for who we are and not how we look to others. Embrace the right to love who you are inside and out!
To me Down Syndrome isn't a disability its a SUPER POWER - that extra chromosome is a magical strand designed from self worth, self confidence and pure unconditional love. Her living example of how she views herself inspired me to heal an old wound & rediscover my self confidence. Kayla and I continue to improve upon all our health goals but at this juncture in time I am more confidant now than ever before. Inner beauty will always shine through at any shape or size. Kayla has taught me how to shift my perception - how to feel more special and yes even pretty." -Julia M.
Lindsay, an ABB Project Photographer did this shoot and reflected, "I met with Julia 38 and her vibrant daughter Kayla who is 18. Julia is Holistic Therapist and Reflexologist. Both of these ladies warmth and inner spirit combined just had my little studio buzzing with energy. As Julia spoke with such wisdom and articulation about herself and her daughter Kayla I studied Kayla. Kayla is just so full of confidence and exuded such beauty. I just wanted to hug them both and bottle all this energy to keep for myself. You can just feel the joy and happiness through the images I am to share with you now. Julia's strength about herself, comes from parenting and being that light for Kayla. By role modelling beauty and body image, all Kayla knows is to love and accept herself and all things around her. Just a profound sense of unity, strength and love between this mother daughter unit. It was a pleasure"
Lindsay is based in Calgary, Canada. To learn more about her work and to book a shoot, click here: www.facebook.com/infinitelightphotography
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