Some people have known me for many years, and have never commented or maybe even really noticed this mole I have on my cheek. Sometimes I forget it’s there too…..

But it IS there… and there always comes a time when I am reminded of this. Most recently, at a parents meeting before my daughter went on a trip to Europe with her French class. I had met one of the dads earlier, and at the end of the meeting I went over to say goodbye.

“You have something on your cheek”, he offered helpfully. I see him watching the left cheek, so I start swiping it. “Yea, like a piece of tomato or something”, he’s still being really helpful. I keep feeling, there is nothing there… Oh, “Oh…you mean my mole?” Yea… it’s definitely not a tomato. Then there is the embarrassed laugh, oh…oops…

I’ve had the rude comment about “What IS that on your face??!”, and the concerned comment from friends who suggest I have it removed because they wouldn’t want a “thing” growing on them like that.

Generally, doesn’t bother me too much.

Even though my first born son has consistently refused to kiss THAT cheek….. because he doesn’t want to touch The Mole, I laugh it off.

But then sometimes I wonder, should I get rid of this thing growing on my face???

I have brought it up before, I’ve had offers from general practitioners and dermatologists who were totally willing to either burn it off, cut it out of my cheek, or punch it out.

But I’ve had it for so looong, I think in a weird way, I might miss it.

All the kids have asked about the “nipple” on my cheek when they were little. Their wandering little fingers have idly tried to pinch it off or push it in, like a button on my face.

It got bigger during my pregnancies, and back to normal size afterwards.

It’s impossible to cover up.

But, after all this time, I think it’s just going to stay there.

After all, Russell Crowe has that thing growing between his eyebrows and it did not reduce his hotness a bit in “Gladiator”.  It’s part of him, he may look weird without it. And besides, if I didn’t have my mole, I’d be left with a scar, maybe even a little crater of emptiness…reminding me that part of my face wasn’t good enough to keep.

So I guess as long as the mole follows the rules, the ABCD rules of having any mole (You know, Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter…) it can stay.

And hey, I’ll always have an awkward conversation topic to fall back on.