At the Giorgio Hotel, Love found herself living her destiny, conversing in English with guests from around the world. Most notably, these interactions introduced her to a gentler kind of humanity than she had previously known. “A substantial majority exuded a gentle, kind, and optimistic aura—a sharp contrast to most men I had encountered in my past,” she reflects. “Almost every individual seemed to embody a beacon of hope, illuminating my path through this pivotal transformation phase at precisely the perfect timing.”
One transformative encounter came with an elderly Dutch gentleman who approached the hotel bar. With his salt-and-pepper hair—which “represents wisdom according to my father”—and modest stature, he created an immediate impression by addressing Love as a “young lady,” a term that struck her with its unfamiliarity and warmth.
“Until that moment, I held no recollection of anyone ever labeling me as a ‘lady,’ and certainly not in such a genuine manner,” Love shares. “Given my life experiences, the concept felt so foreign—the essence of a lady. The title seemed inappropriate for me, especially since I lacked the knowledge of how to dress, converse, or conduct myself in a ladylike manner.” This simple form of address challenged her entire self-perception.
The gentleman then commented on her dimples, calling them “the most profound and endearing dimples I’ve ever encountered on an Asian lady.” His compliment sparked internal conflict. Love had first become aware of these facial features through her elder sister’s remarks about her “size and roundness,” viewing them as flaws that made her face appear larger. “I could recall numerous sleepless nights where I agonized over the perceived negative impact they had on my appearance, wishing for a way to make them disappear.”
Initially skeptical of his praise, assuming it might be another “commonplace white lie from another Western man, attempting to charm an ‘Asian young lady’ with an undisclosed intention,” Love’s perspective shifted when he shared a profound explanation of dimples’ origin. “It is God’s creation,” he began, continuing with words that would forever change her self-image: “When God first created you, his delight knew no bounds. With tender care, he used his two fingers to pinch your cheeks gently and exclaimed, ‘What a precious and adorable baby you are!'”
“Astonishingly, his profound and eloquent response sent a shiver down my spine, causing goosebumps to ripple across my upper body,” Love recalls. “His narrative not only transformed my perception of those two unique dimples on my cheeks, a feature I had long wished to erase, but it also filled me with an unexpected sense of ownership over this distinctive aspect of myself. Previously concealed beneath the veil of others’ judgments, these dimples became a cherished testament to a divine creation that was endearing in its own right.”
Following this encounter, Love developed a new ritual of self-acceptance. “Gradually, I developed a habit of gazing into the mirror and cherishing the reflection of the person adorned with two unique dimples on her cheeks.” She came to understand these dimples as “a divine indication that God wanted me to embrace smiles more often, even despite the fact I was delivered to a place where I was not cherished and loved.”
This transformation extended beyond mere physical acceptance. “In the mirror, where I used to see nothing but ugliness, unwantedness, and a face my father had once shamed, I now began to see something else.” Love made a conscious choice to “embrace the perspective that uplifted me and nurtured a positive sense of self.” She began “consciously directing my attention towards people and experiences that instilled positivity and uplifted me, in contrast to those that had once inflicted hurt and negativity.”
The elderly gentleman’s wisdom had “destroyed the self-induced shackles of my negative self-perception, reshaping how I perceived, thought, and felt about myself.” His words drifted through her mind “like delicate white clouds crossing a sunny blue sky,” infusing her with unprecedented warmth and liberation. This newfound self-acceptance illuminated dark corners of her being, allowing her true beauty to emerge. “With self-acceptance came a newfound beauty. In that transformative moment, the once concealed aspect of my ‘ugly self’ emerged into the light, free to be seen and smile.”
Discover more illuminating stories of self-acceptance in “Grow in the Dark” by Amy Love. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google, iTunes & Kobo.
