One Year Anniversary!

Wow, how quickly time passes!

It’s been one year since I set up this blog post; I did not even realize it until I got the notification from WordPress.  One year since I began the process of putting my observations and feelings in print.  One year and I have written on various topics and managed to put a book into print, what a difference a year makes.  As I reflected, I also searched for something special to share in celebration.  As I read back though past posts, I ran across the one that best described my whole purpose for this blog.  To celebrate my anniversary, I want to re-share that moment in time where my purpose became clear:

“A few weeks ago, I was shopping in a local beauty supply store. As I browsed through different items on the shelves, I overheard voices on the next aisle. They were talking, laughing, and having a good time. As I continued to move along the aisle, I overheard one of the young ladies say: “I hate my hair, I just hate it!” This got my attention and I quietly moved around the corner so that I could see who made the comment. About that time, she said it again. I smiled and said: “you know, hate is a pretty strong word.” She repeated the words again and walked off to catch up with the rest of her group.

It all happened so quickly. I stood there for a moment, I guess maybe wondering if somehow time would reverse what just occurred. It really touched my heart as I could see by the look on her face that she really meant what she said. How could someone hate what is so much a part of them? Why did her friends not speak up and confirm who she was as a person? If she hates her hair, whose hair does she love? To me, she was a beautiful young woman just the way she was. But obviously, when she looks at herself in the mirror, she sees something else.  I can only imagine how many others there are in the same situation.  It’s time to help young women like this see, and appreciate all that they are. There is so much more than what you and I see on the outside. There is so much more than what they see in themselves.

The definition of beauty is this: the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit. Somehow, society has replaced the “aggregate of qualities” and put the focus on one quality–looks. So, what happens when someone does not look like “THE” look? You end up with people like the young lady that I just described–people who possess a negative body image, or even worse, people who truly hate something about themselves.

Start listening to what you hear people say about themselves, you’ll be surprised as it comes up in the most casual of conversations. “oh, I have such a big nose”, “wow, my butt is so big”, “my chest is too flat”, “my shoulders are so wide.” Maybe you have even said some of those things–I know I have. So, who are we comparing ourselves to? Who are we looking at for the standard?  Real Beauty A to Z was created to raise awareness and to help women see, be, and love themselves just the way they were created.”

Much has transpired during this past year, and I see that the subject I have chosen to address is much deeper and more complicated that what I realized.  So, over the next year, I will take a deeper dive and trust that something I share will make a difference.  I am currently working on a letter writing campaign (Dear Daughter) and I will be posting a very special interview in July.  Stay tuned here, visit the website, connect on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.  Exciting things to come!

“I am a Real beauty from A to Z.  I am so much more that what you see!”