23rd of October, 2019-11:00 am (MST)
On a phone call, on a balmy day last summer my ultra-feminist friend said to me…Wear slacks! Don’t wear a skirt! I was planning a visit to a different friend in the southern regions of Colorado. I said “No, I’ll wear a skirt. A skirt will be cooler and more feminine”. The idea of me staying cool went over her head, and all she heard was it was more feminine to wear a skirt. Yikes!
The planned occasion called for whimsy, femininity, and a bit of quaintness. Characteristics I hold. Therefore, I knew that I’d fit right in. So no worries came about how to maneuver through the whole wall-flower concept or which flower to be 🙂 I was excited about the trip. I got dressed in one of my beautiful floral skirts and a white shirt, and off I went. Quite modest… if I may say so myself.
During the drive, my mind led to the idea of womanhood and what that means to me. As a woman with an interesting past, I glanced over my life to shed light on where I am from, who I was, and the person I am today. The most remarkable of it all is that no matter the stages of my life, my heart has been the same. In the quietest moments of the drive, it became clear to me that even as a youngster, when I told myself that I was a bit feminist, I wasn’t.
You see, I’ve never enjoyed having to prove anything to anyone. I’ve only just competed with myself. I am only interested in who someone is, and not what the person knows. In new and growing friendships, I ask “Who are you?” and expect to be asked the same. I ask this question, because I am driven by the need to find meaning. The knowledge of someone’s significance aligned to who they are and to the world, I’ve contended, offer trust and authentic love. When I build genuine relationships with others around me, there’s no need for me to prove anything. I declare, who I am is proof enough.
George Eliot wrote that “…if we had keen vision and feeling for all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heartbeat, and we should die of the roar which lies on the other side of silence. As it is, the quickest of us walks about in stupidity.”
Stupidity – the state of being silly or unwise (Oxford Dictionary). I really don’t mind being silly or unwise when it comes to truly getting to know people. When we are unwise, it offers a time to flourish while communing. It’s embracing the ordinary human life. It’s simply seeing and being in company with one of God’s remarkable creations, leading us into His divine mysteries. Way opens. Judgments cease.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
-1 Corinthians 13:13
I like floral skirts. My feminist friend prefers slacks. We are friends despite our differences. We’ve laughed and cried together. Our conversations are amusing, stimulating, and silly. And, we both care about human life in different ways.
Jesus’ heart was of the highest glory in every season of His life. Even in moments of despair, His lilt expressed his extraordinary desires for the world. His associated preference, were of many class. His only aim was to show us how to love better. He did this through simple and sacred speech.
As I make sense of it all, everything around me, continues to become more prevalent, each day I breathe. A life with Jesus is a beautiful life. And, I experience His love each day. So for now, I’ll start designing my skirts for next summer. I am pleased to know that my way of staying cool in our warming summer months, is to don this great invention. As long as they are not too short, I think God approves 🙂
God’s hands are in everything!
Thank you my most Heavenly Father. Thank you for providing me with floral skirts 🙂 and teaching me on the importance of honoring my unique femininity.
Your loving and appreciative daughter,
Charlotte
Supporting verses: Titus 2:3 & Proverbs 31:25
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