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All That Glitters
All too often I see women lay aside the truth of who they are to receive the lies or misguided opinions of another. And they accept those lies as truth.
The truth is women were created to be a gift to their partner, to their children, to the body of Christ. To the world. Life bearers in body, in speech, in actions, in deeds. And so it appalls me when I see the callous disregard by which we are treated, that we accept as the norm. We have forgotten who we are. Forgotten that it was the Lord's own hands that formed us and presented us in the form of Eve to Adam. Eve, who stands symbolically as all womankind, she was his gift. Even as we today are gifts to this world. But we don’t see it.
Too many days of being disregarded. Too many nights of being abandoned. Too much time between a gentle touch and a
kind word. Just too much. And we have internalized it to mean that we
are not worthy of anything more……despite the silent screaming going on inside
of us that begs to be heard saying that we do.
And so instead of looking in the mirror and reminding
ourselves that we are wonderfully and fearfully made, we criticize the miniscule
pimple and magnify the imperceptible blemish.
Instead of hugging ourselves tightly and crooning words of love into our
own selves, we belittle ourselves and speak ill about ourselves…regurgitating
the foul words that have been spewed at us from people who were, at the very
least, unaware. Having forgotten that
none of us is perfect, including those who are trying to push the idea of
perfection on us.
Myles Munro said it best, “when you don’t know the purpose
of a thing, it is inevitable that you will abuse it.” To abuse is to abnormally use something. How does this apply to what I am saying about
you, about me…it is in our not knowing our own purpose, not knowing our own
selves that we inevitably end up mistreating ourselves or allowing others to
mistreat us, too. That mistreatment
comes in so many forms: unhealthy relationships, poor diet, lack of exercise,
allowing folks to bring their drama into our inner sanctum….you name it.
It is not necessary to make ourselves over to be some idea
or image that a man has in his mind that he wants. Who you are, just as you are, is enough. In fact, it’s more than enough. How do you compete with a fantasy? Fantasies aren’t real. All you can do is be the best you that you
can be. So often we see people go for
the spectacular and sensational. While
the quietly brilliant gem is right there in plain sight. All that glitters is not gold. Sometimes it’s tinsel….and you can get that
from the dollar store. It is not
necessary for you to make yourself over to shine as bright and sparkly as
tinsel when it is not an item of substance or value. Nothing precious in it. It stands as an illusion…giving the
appearance of brilliance and glamour.
But a gem is precious. Even a
diamond in the rough is STILL a diamond….a priceless treasure that has been
produced by much pressure over time. And
it takes a skilled artisan to pull out ALL of the beauty that lies in that mass
of rock. It takes someone who is
skilled, who knows just what to look for, and who has the patience of a trained
eye to find it. Someone with a quiet
spirit to hear that which has not been spoken, but which speaks so clearly.
Ladies, it is time to stop throwing your pearls before
swine. To stop giving up your power to
someone who isn’t worthy to have it.
Love yourself just as you are, right where you are. And despite what men say….let a woman fully
come into her own, where she feels wonderful and lovely and valuable and
precious in her own right, according to her own terms, and he will seek her
out. In the midst of that seeking, he discovers
that SHE (in all of her natural and rare beauty) is his fantasy…not anything he
has been fed from the media, not what he has seen in a Playboy magazine. Not even anything his mind may have conjured
up.
The greatest gift to the world we can give, is to be the
very best that we can be. So go ahead
and embrace your brilliance…whether you are a diamond, a pearl or an
emerald….or perhaps even one of those rare stones we hardly ever hear anything
about. There is beauty in each one…as
they were created to be. Just as there
is beauty in each one of us…just as we were created to be. Define your life today and if you don’t know
where to start, start with a conversation with your Maker and ask him to show
you yourself through HIS eyes. Then ask
him to help you get rid of any thoughts or images of yourself that are tied to lies or untruths that others have fed
you. And begin to build from there. You are a rare and precious gem…embrace your power and own it!
Changing lives one word at a time…Tumika Patrice Cain
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Tumika Patrice Cain is an award-winning author, media personality,
and motivational speaker. Through her imprint, Inkscriptions Publishing &
Media Group, she provides high quality, affordable, mentor-based publishing
services to indie authors, as well as inspired, empowering messages of hope and
abundance through her media outlets. Her works can be found in many
publications, including Fresh Lifestyle Magazine. To learn more about Tumika,
her books, and her services visit the following websites. http://www.TumikaPatrice.com
and http://www.InkscriptionsPMG.com
