A picture can say a thousand words, they say. It is a moment in time, or a capture of emotion or memories. A candid picture shows reality, mostly, if we exclude photoshop that is. It can make you laugh and chuckle. A picture can bring about tears of joy or tears of sadness. It can make you reminisce about a time you didn’t even think twice about until you laid your eyes on the photo. It can warm your heart and fill it with love, or it can tear a hole bigger than before. A picture can make you stop and think and maybe just maybe, change your perception. They say, a picture can say a thousand words.
Recently, this photo was sent to me from a very dear, long-time friend. It was taken just a few years ago. I never even knew it existed. At first glance, I didn’t even recognize that it was me, since I wasn’t expecting it nor even knew it was ever taken. My friend got married in Kraków, Poland, where she is originally from. And yes, Kraków is hands down one of my favorite cities I have ever been blessed to travel to and yes, the wedding and the entire trip was in fact perfection. Kraków, has a romance about it. Similar to many European countries but it still stands alone for its charm, its essence and the simple fact that no matter where you go, there is smooth jazz filling the streets with a gorgeous romantic glow from all the streetlights. It truly is a beautiful country and Kraków is amazing. If ever you are able and we get over this whole Covid thing, I highly recommend it.
Anyway, I digress.
At the time, I hadn’t lost the baby weight, and I wasn’t feeling very good about myself. When this photo was actually taken, I was all in my feelings and not really feeling all that cute. My friend I speak of, she is a friggin knock out! I mean, truly stunning. Perfect figure, baby blue eyes, and all the European charm possible. I took one glance at her and although smiling from ear to ear for her, I also was seeing the shadow take over my own level of confidence.
Here I am just a few short years later and look at this photo almost in awe…in awe for the reality of the photo and the delusion I was allowing myself to endure that day. I was beautiful and I didn’t allow myself just a bit of grace to see it. The shame is needing a photo to tell me rather than feeling comfortable and confident in my own skin.
I’ve been through so many moments in my life where I haven’t thought too highly of myself. My inner confidence was at times, nonexistent. This photo, not in the slightest to sound like a conceded a-hole, but I looked really pretty in this photo, even though I didn’t feel it. Not because I was the most beautiful woman in the room, but because it… is… me.
God made me with a button nose, silky brown eyes and a whole heap of brown locks to frizz and style any which way. He made me curvy and with blotches on my arm with pigment loss from eczema. He made me medium build, not petite. He gave me round cheeks that someday will be saggy and considered jowls. But he gave me a spirit that comes through even in a candid shot.
This is me. Candid, still in my feelings and still sitting pretty. Perhaps a reminder, every now and again, is critical for those of us gals that need sometimes a reminder that we are as God intended us to be, and in any way that it is…it is beautiful.
They say a picture can say a thousand words. But perhaps just a few should be, I am beautiful, flaws and all, and all the uniqueness that is you and all of you that was meant to be.
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