 |
| Photography by 'Man de Man' Photography |
I’d like you to stop for
a minute and take this journey into the confines of a lady I met called Miss ‘Super Woman’. I call her so for lack of
a better way to describe the way in which she can balance everything she has
got to do AND STILL look ‘sweet 16’.
At exactly 5:30 am, the alarm
goes off. For the next half an hour, there’s a deep intimacy shared between her
and her lover-the Father up above. I’m still learning to embrace femininity;
that is, spending hours under the sprinkles of a hot rejuvenating shower, singing
in or out of tune depending on how your voice opts to sound that morning. I’m a
natural honey- make ups, face ups, pamper ups are nowhere in my morning
schedule. But Miss Super Woman...
like Esther in the bible probably has a regime she religiously follows to
ensure no spots nor blemish appear on her face.
Her body; well refined
for sure with her style carefully outlining every asset. Mark you, she manages
to look sexy and not trashy and make a clear statement, “Talk sense to me or
keep at bay”, you know that kind of look, right? There’s just enough for you to
see and no; your say has nothing to do with how much you will see. If you can’t
take in what she shows, then you are probably blinded and should totally
fracture the scales from your eyes... because IT’S ENOUGH!
As she walks out of her
well arranged spick and span home, you can tell, she knows her day is destined
to be great. With her head held high, her face glows complementing the beauty
of the rising sun. She struts away, lost in the planning of the day, while
those left to watch her carefully take her steps, either follow her to the point
she disappears from their sight or attempt to utter a, “Hallo, you look splendid”, if the words manage to spill out of
their mouths.
Miss Superwoman has a pleasant personality. It is magnetic, though
frankly I think the beauty attracts more than the personality at first glance.
Glaring at her with some sought of envy (my confessions) I ponder on how one
would manage to look so, for lack of a better word... perfect. I mean let’s be
real; we live in a world where maintaining such fair beauty would probably
require extra cost and time. It’s the easiest thing to feel pressured to look
like Miss Universe, tall, slender, well bikini fitting body with sparkling and
blinding white teeth just to mention but a few. It’s easy to look in the mirror
and wonder, “Who I’m I really?” It’s easy to loath your physical image and get
comfortable having pretty much a low self esteem about yourself. It’s just
easy... and it’s these easy things
that I believe prohibit us from really bringing out the best version of
ourselves.
We walk around with an
imagination of who we ought to be and think that one small flaw (or big) would
be a hindrance to me being the “Proverbs 31 Woman”.
Allow me to say this, the
human physique does not in any way disqualify the scars that may appear for all
to see. Trying to hide certain marks or enhance body parts does not in any way
erase the real deposits of your heart.
Many of us assume that
perfection is something given all at once. I’m sorry to burst your bubble but
it’s not. The secret behind Miss Super Woman’s seemingly flawless look she says
to me is no secret at all,
“It’s
simple; I work on my outside from the inside. And that’s no secret at all. My
relationship with God is the very reason I glow. The more I GROW in Christ, the
more I GLOW in Him.”
And does it always remain
that way? I ask again,
“Not
at all, I have my bad days, when beauty feels far-fetched. You know, you wake
up and your morale is running on empty, you look at the mirror and notice some
rush or pimples which you freak about, you go by the day receiving no
compliment, opt to not go to the gym for the next couple of weeks and you end
many days in a state of blame and self pity. Though I don’t stay their long,
because at the end of the day, looking at my inner being I realise the positive
outweighs the negative. I cry it out, I feel it all, I vent it out before my
father in heaven, sometimes with the help of my close friends and in no time I
have the urge to be my confident and beautiful self again.”
This is the lesson
learnt- your outside is a reflection of the state of your heart. The bible says
in proverbs 4:23 “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life. What do you
harbour in your heart; the fruits of the spirit or the total opposites? You may
not be a size eight with a flawless skin as expected by every model agency, but
my countenance with you will only radiate love, joy, and enthusiasm if that is
what you take time to deposit in your heart.
Your face is like a
transparent mirror. You may see your reflection as it is though behind it are
gates that open and close at your instruction to the chambers of your heart.
And interestingly they open and close to the outside world too, because what is
stored internally will reflect itself externally.
So the next time you opt
to spend your time and money on some bleaching, or permanently erasing pimples
on your face or crying because you’re not a size 0 or 8 or you’re not ‘bootylicious’ like Kim Kardashian, look
right into your heart. Is your spring really flowing with the fruits of the
spirit? If not, fix your spring girlfriend!
I’m a firm believer in
simplicity. My belief has always been, “simplicity breeds creativity”. Don’t be
out to do so much with your physical appearance in the name of being trendy.
Those who created trends are human like you- SO GET CREATIVE AND LEAD THE WAY.
Paul says this in 1 Peter 3:3-4, “Do not
let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold or
putting fine apparel-‘rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the
incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in
the sight of God.”
This is not to deter you
from taking time to look great, knock yourself out if you want to (with
moderation though). The point is that, outward beauty is easily corruptible.
Inner beauty on the other hand is incorruptible. Beauty, I’m learning, has to
do more with your ‘inner attitude.’
Finally, the scripture
still remains the same, “Charm is deceptive beauty passes away, but a woman who
fears the Lord shall be praised” (Prov. 31:30). The latter characteristic
should be your number one investment. Cultivate the fruits of the spirit in you
so as to be able to enjoy the sweet tropical mix on the outside.
Note; these fruits do
have a way of challenging you to be the best version of yourself, even in the
physical. You won’t want to look great because everyone is dashing for a quick
fix to remain with a 16 year old look, you’ll desire to look great because you
understand that “your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19-20)
and thus, you should maintain it in the best way for its habitation.
The ball is in your court
dear one. Remember,
The more you GROW in
Christ, the more you GLOW in Him.
©namwano
The more i grow...the more i glow...that's mine
ReplyDeleteVery well articulated, we have to come to full realization of who we are and who we represent. This will stir us up into handling our bodies with care(the temple of the Most High)
ReplyDeleteGreat! And good background!
ReplyDelete