I Dare You To Eat It

Probably one of the most fun experiences happened when no one was looking.

On a very regular day, after Rosie had been modeling  for some time, she got up for work one morning and rode the subway to yet another casting call. Checking in at the front desk, dressed in the standard jeans, t-shirt, no makeup, and hair pulled back into a smooth ponytail, the receptionist looked at her twice and said, “Hey, is this you?” Rosie leaned over the counter to see what the girl was referring to and was shocked to see a picture of herself on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily. With so many photographs and so many models to manage, her booker back at the agency had neglected to let Rosie know the good news. For her the cover seemed pretty random and sort of funny. She clearly remembered that during this particular shoot the stylists had frantically scrambled to find enough fabric clamps, using one after another allllll down the back of that beautiful dress, making it small enough to fit her Pudgy bod. Even in the world of professional modeling, Rosie took grief for being too skinny.

Ultimately, in our stewardship and responsibility as parents, Mike and I felt good about letting Rosie model, because we FELT good about it, in our minds and in our hearts.  On day number three, when it was time to give our permission and sign the modeling contract, I pulled myself out of bed before the rest of the crew was awake in order to spend some thoughtful time on my knees in prayer and studying the scriptures like I normally do. Of course my number one request that day was, “Heavenly Father, please help me to understand what is Your will for Rosie in this situation. We’re trying to take good care of this daughter, for You, and we’re…scared about this opportunity.” After reviewing all the attending fears and hopes, I opened The Book Of Mormon and began to read, and listen, with all my heart. 3 Nephi 7:18 ends with the phrase, “…for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.” When I read those words, promised to someone else in a completely different situation, I felt the sure comfort of the Holy Ghost gently calm my heart. Worries were replaced with peace that Rosie would be protected and that guardian angels could be, and would be, with her as she manuvered through potentially risky situations. As her mother, I finally had the assurance needed to step into the unknown and accept modeling as an unusual blessing fit for an unusual life. When I phoned Mike, on the opposite end of the country, and shared my early morning experience, he too felt complete peace in signing the contract. As a team, we were united in the decision. We knew our daughter and the person she had always been. We trusted that Heavenly Father knew who she was always going to be.

Was it a perfect experience? Depends on how you define perfect. It was complete with challenges, happiness, trials, tears, loneliness, fun friends, courage, bright lights, and adventures. I’ll never forget the day I visited while she was living in the models’ apartment in midtown Manhattan. It was during her very first Fashion Week and there was our very own wacky little Pudgy, hangin’ out in a room full of genuinely friendly girls. Most wearing zero makeup, their long hair cranked up in messy buns or stringing over their shoulders, a few with glasses reading books or magazines, just chatting and laughing with each other while they ate ‘dinner’ (bowls of pineapple or broccoli) and of course watched TV. I think it was that night when I asked Rosie again how she was feeling about her life in the fast lane. She quietly confessed, with a little smile, that she didn’t feel bad about being so tall and so thin, anymore. She was happy and grateful for the opportunities she had been given.