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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Inside Story ( Revisited )


** originally posted a year ago this month. resonating with me quite a bit again lately **


I have dimpled thighs.

And some gray hairs.

My teeth would be a whole lot whiter


if I drank less Diet Coke.

And you know what else?

I have a pooch.

No, not a dog, although I do have two of those.

No, I have a tummy pooch.
No washboard abs on this girl.
Not anymore, anyway.


I am imperfect.

Flawed.

Less than ideal.


But you know what else?

I am more than the sum of my parts.
My imperfect parts, that is.

I may be imperfect, but I am perfectly so.

Perfectly Imperfect.


Just like my well-loved French pitcher, there is a beauty to my scars. 
My blemishes.
My signs of age.

A nobility to those wiry gray hairs,
and those crinkles now appearing
to frame my eyes and mouth.

As a woman, I struggle as to whether to
embrace or erase
these changes.

The culture as well as the cult of youth encourages us to wish away
that which has been hard earned.

"How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth..."
{John Milton}


And yet, I know.
Oh yes, I most certainly do know...

That the measure of my worth

as a woman

and as a child of God

lies not in what the eye can see

but rather in what is hidden away from view.

And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; 
it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.
 {Antoine de Saint-ExupĂ©ry}

Love yourselves, imperfections and all.
Just as God does.

"So we do not lose heart. 
Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day."
{2 Corinthians 4:16}




P.S.
Unapologetically, occasionally re-posting gems from the archives...because
I've been doing some spiritual and emotional house cleaning.
Blog breaks are good. Essential, even.


40 comments:

Jem said...

I needed this, Anne. I'm really very glad you have reposted it as I have been feeling so far from perfection recently it just isn't funny.

Jem xXx

Angela said...

That's a beautiful one.

Shannon Fox said...

Some things are meant to be repeated. And we all need a break sometimes ;) Enjoy!

Blessed Serendipity said...

Such a great post Anne!

blessings,
Danielle

Amanda said...

Such a lovely post... definitely worth repeating!
Best Wishes and Blessings,
Amanda

Sonya Badgley said...

Hi Anne,
Definitely worth seeing again! We are fearfully and wonderfully made...
You are beautiful to me, Anne, wrinkles and dimples and all. :)
Blessings,
Sonya

Our Hopeful Home said...

So glad you took a blog break cause I get to see this post! Don't even talk to me about pooch, honey ~ three C-sections, all after the age of 35.....you get the idea. Gray hairs since my late twenties and lets just say that my visage could use a little work! You are not alone.

xoxo
Kathleen

Courtney ~ French Country Cottage said...

I love this Anne...What a fantastic post. Love it in so many ways - Thank you so much for sharing it again. :) Hugs, Courtney

High Street Cottage said...

Hard to believe someone as pretty as you, even thinks about "flaws". I've faced a battle in the mirror for as long as I can remember and there is something about turning 50 that makes one appreciate their face, body, mind and soul. Kudos, and hugs, tami

Jilly said...

I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts.Any way I will be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.
antifatigue matting

Blondie's Journal said...

I read this before but needed it again. Can we have self acceptance and still retain the motivation to change? I waver along that line all the time. Something to think about...

XO,
Jane

Shabby soul said...

I love what you say.
I love your photos.
Thank you!
Silvia

lisaroy said...

Love this post! We are all imperfect and anyone who doesn't have a pooch, wrinkles or dimples just isn't human. xo

Rozmeen said...

Love the Patina on this beautiful pitcher.

xoxo Rozmeen

The Cottage Market {Andrea} ♥ said...

i needed this! i thank you from the bottom of my heart! sending you warm hugs and much love to you and yours!

andrea@townandprairie said...

I think when we lose someone close we all become a little bit more aware of our own mortality. Every mark on my body is like a battle wound to me - a stretchmark, c-section scars, twisted finger from writing too much, now thin hair. Would we really be us w/o them? Wear them proudly! Someday flowers will grow on our graves and we will be part of those flowers, and that is beautiful. Hope your heart is healing okay...andrea@townandprairie

Little Leslie said...

You betcha!
love,
Leslie

Sissie's Shabby Cottage said...

Hi Anne,
I love this post. I find myself often wishing I was younger, especially since I have been working with younger, very attractive and stylish women. But, I also remind myself that I am who I am and I feel pretty good about it.
Thanks for the inspiration.

hugs
Sissie

Anonymous said...

I loved your post..If everyone could see the inner beauty and not the outer shell..Imagine the world we would all live in..
Janet

Campbell Kids said...

Amen! Because the photo of my precious new granddaughter was so wonderful, I actually posted a photo of me with a double chin in a slideshow on my blog! :-) Obviously, I'm a grandmother and love it! I always enjoy your blog and hope the days now are getting easier for you...

Blessings,
Dianne
www.mysouthernheart.com

Kim said...

Amen Sister! And yes, blog breaks are good and necessary. I've been on a haitus myself.
Love to you my friend,
Kim

Olive said...

You are wise beyond your age I think.If only more people could embrace their imperfections. I went grey this summer and love it...my family says I am pretty with grey hair. I just think it's way cheaper and a whole lot easier. BIGhugs♥O

pbrenner said...

Great post, definitely worth revisiting at least once a year :-) I loved the movie Shallow Hal for its message on inner vs outer beauty. Sometimes I worry too much about fixing the outer, when I need to work on the inside stuff ... thanks for the message - sending positive prayers and thoughts your way as you continue on the healing and recuperative process.

Patty

Nancy's Notes said...

What a perfect post, one that I was meant to read today! Each word you wrote is truly profound. Thank you for sharing.

Nancy

outjunking said...

Gosh! I had this conservation with my husband just last night. I do feel I earned every scar, grey hair and opinion. You see I turn 50 this year and I like it. I finally feel entitled. I don't feel like I'm climbing to get to the top (the top of what I don't know)or the need to. Weird but true.
Lisa

Katie @ Wildwood Creek said...

Beautiful post, beautiful photos! Oh, if we only loved our patina as much as the patina on our things.

Susan said...

truer words were never spoken, with the exception of pooch..that would be pouch, LOL!

beautiful and heartfelt post!
hugs my friend!
Susan

Lululiz said...

I loved this post when I read it a year ago, and I love it still. xx

Green Hydrangea Lover said...

Anne...I have only been following your blog for a few months. This post was new to me and was just what I needed today. It just shows we all have similar thoughts and feelings going through our bodies and need the help of a blog friend to cheer us up.

Thanks so much. Oh, and I absolutely love the pitcher and chair photos in this post.

Lisa

nonnie said...

Boy, did I need that today! Thanks for your reflective words. So true.......

Love your blog!

Candylei said...

I'm glad you did reprint because I think I missed it the first time. Enjoy your weekend coming up!

Gracefully Vintage said...

A great reminder- as i too needed this lately...
Thank You!!
Karryann

Unknown said...

Amen to that! (and take as much as time as you need girl!)

sweetpea said...

i say embrace every one of them. the only way through this is to walk head up, chest out right through it. in your time. no one else's. you can do it anne. we are all behind you.

hugs,

shelley

Little Birdie Blessings said...

What a great post, thanks for sharing. Love the unspoken comparison to the old pitcher, and the verse from Corinthians. A good reminder for all of us. ~ Abby

Stina said...

This is beautiful Your blog is beautiful.:-) Stina

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

Loved this post then and even more now!

Lynda said...

Beautifully written ... xo

Seawashed said...

This is true and beautiful. I am trying to embrace my age and all the imperfections that come with aging. I will be 45 on 11-11-11...I thought I wanted a party, but now that the day is approaching I would much rather slip away to the seashore for a few days...it is where I feel most alive.

Queenie's Vintage Finds said...

This is such a beautiful post Anne, you have such a way with words and I thank you for revisiting this post, because I never got the chance to see it first time around...love that old french aqua blue pitcher too...it's gorgeous :)

The pictures of your Mama are just beautiful that you shared....and she does have such pretty smiling eyes. I know she is there with you in your heart and always will be. I can imagine it's so hard though. Know that one day you will be reunited again and there, you will never have to say goodbye again...I am so glad we have that hope and that it is a promise.
You keep clinging to and seeking God he will give you strength and he'll give you all that you need through this season of life....he's the only one that can. He'll fill all the places in your heart that may seem a little empty right now...they are well known to him, and he knows exactly what you need....every step of the way. He loves you and is on your side. God Bless you sweet Anne, you are still in my thoughts and prayers.
Big hugs,
Queenie

P.S. Congratulations on being featured in the Artful Blogging Magazine...the shots are lovely as always!


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