Saving, Changing, Living

I am not a guy. I do not know what males think or why they think the way they do. But I do know something spectacular about them; beyond the massive egos all humans share (believe it or not), the trash talk, the need for bigger muscles or ‘cool’ act, they have hearts like us girls. They are worthy of caring, compassion and kindness. The world tells them to fit the masculine mold, but do we tell them anything different? Do we show them a different, stronger yet ultimate good path? I yearn to be treated as the queen I was created to be, so I also yearn to treat men as the kings they were meant to be. This is equality. Teach respect. Teach honor. Teach love. 

Yesterday I stood outside, surrounded by thousands of people, and spread my arms wide to try and catch the wind. I laughed louder than I ever have, and felt freer than ever before. Now, I’m not saying you have to go out into a random crowd and a wild, crazy Katie, but I do challenge you to take ONE moment, and let every single worry, stress, negative thought- let them all go. You are as strong as a mountain and as beautiful as the sun. You deserve this perfect of moment of grace. Why not do it?

In a world that highlights the ‘rush’ mentality, be a turtle and see whole moments instead of fragments. It’s so easy to be pushed, wedged, and stuck in a place of another person’s making. Faking a smile here, not eating to maintain a figure there, never really reaching the cracks just below the surface needing to be filled. Because they can be, with liquid gold and stardust. You hold the stardust, God holds the gold. Dare to move past the eggshells you tiptoe around to keep a good image for people you’ve never met, and even those you have. Be wild, laugh with abandon, be your beautiful self! And best of all, you’re not in this alone.

I mentioned in an earlier post how I absolutely and positively admire Audrey Hepburn. She was an actress of kindness and quality, but she also had a heart full of child-like wonder and innocence, and an unquenchable thirst to help the broken. We are all broken in a variety of ways; poverty, illness, abuse, etc. The point is, because we all share in this broad spectrum of truth, we can all share in giving hope and love to ourselves and each other. Firstly, though, start with you. I spent years pouring out my soul for others, and years yet re-learning to love myself and take care of my mental and emotional states so that I could better help others.  I challenge you to do the same. You are worthy. You are enough. And we can all work to be better... together.

I have a largely boisterous love for all things sun. Sunshine, sunflowers, the Son of God (see what I did there?). I’ve always been a natural rubber band ball of energy and positivity. And that little tidbit of fact remains true today, but there was an inexplicable point when all of the color in my mind drained to grey. During this muted period I discovered that I wasn’t a noodle, that I had warrior armor on my heart and soul, and that beautiful metal could be transferred to my outer self. This metal, for me, is confidence. I never thought I was good enough, pretty enough, smart enough, etc. I know that there is armor in all of us, in all different forms, but it is there. It’s up to us to pick it up and put it on. And hey, it’s already been paid for. 

*Audrey Hepburn a.k.a. my role model

It’s so easy for us as children to believe that we could be whatever we wanted to be; the world was at our feet, possibilities spread like wildflowers every place our fingertips touched. Then it stopped right when our childhood ended. For some, you were barely three years old. For others, adulthood? What is that? Either way, I have a theory that, if you look closely, you’ll see in your life too: our dreams are still very real and still very possible. It’s up to us to fight against the current of negativity and laziness to make them a reality. The greatest of this great thing is that there’s someone (i.e. me, hi!) around you, maybe right next to you, that would love to be a hope stone for you. The rock that is unshakable in encouragement and prayer. Seek it, or be it, or both. No matter what, do it. 

Sparklers are a beautiful imagery of our life- the life we have been given. Unlike man-made sparklers that go out in a split second, the sparkler in us was created to withstand the hurricanes of cyber-bullying, the twisters of abuse, and the volcanic eruptions of emotional distress. There’s always someone with a fully lit sparkler ready to strengthen your fire by lending some of theirs. Break the silence and ask. 

*quote by anonymous

I find love in God, I find love in smiles, I find love in hidden pockets of downtown. Life doesn’t stop, but it does go dark when you no longer see love. It’s in you, all of that love. Let’s find it again.