Musings of A Young Woman
I have a vision, a standard, for myself, as a young woman, as a daughter of the Lord.
I don't want to look myself in the mirror in the morning and ask myself if my pants are tight enough, I don't want to ask myself if my clothes accentuate my curves enough.
I want to look at myself and ask if my smile reaches my eyes, I want to ask myself if my attitude is joyful, if I am willing to be caring, kind, understanding.
I don't want to look at myself and see only my body. I don't want to stand there and appraise myself based on the outside, but on what's within.
As it should be with every woman.
But today, we are not told to look within, we are told, we are shown, we are taught, that what is most important is on the outside.
Walk into your local mall, walk into almost any clothing store, and you find skinny jeans, mini-skirts, booty shorts, find tight-fitting shirts, you find see-through clothing. I admit, I have bought my fair share of jeans, and shirts (although I have yet to venture into the paradox that is see-through clothing...and I don't plan on it)
but the more I look at myself in the mirror, the more I think and contemplate and pray about it, the more I desire something, well, more!
The long skirts, the accessories, the scarves, the modesty, the beauty. That is what I yearn for, I don't want to show off my body, but my intellect, my talents, my spirit, my soul. I want to be feminine, I want to cherish the fact that I am a daughter of the Most High, I want to have that mystique, that air of grace, that I have seen in so many others who are inspirations to me.
I realize though, that a change of wardrobe does not a lady make. Modesty is certainly part of being a lady, but her humility, her kind, gentle, and joyful spirit, the beauty of her soul, these are also important aspects. And these are not unattainable. All of these things that I have mentioned (except the clothes) can be attained through two things, that, as Catholics, are vital.
Prayer and the Sacraments.
Do you not think, that if we truly ask with a sincere heart that the Spirit we have been confirmed in will not grant us a spirit of humility, that joy, that understanding, that caring? Do you not think that He would instill in you a sense of modesty and chastity if you so asked?
He gave the Apostles the grace to speak dozens of different languages, I do not dare assume that He would not grant these graces, even to me, if I ask it of Him.
Femininity, modesty, chastity, these are all words that women shy away from because they believe them to be a sort of imprisonment, but truly, these words, put into action, help you recognize your full potential as a woman...as a daughter of the Lord God.
When I die, God willing, when I am very old, I want to look back and say with certainty that, like Mary, I magnified the Lord, and not myself, through all that I am.
*Btw, I am not saying pants are a bad thing, we should be careful though regarding the length and fit, also, I personally love skirts and wish we could go back to the days of petticoats and gowns- corsets are optional*
I don't want to look myself in the mirror in the morning and ask myself if my pants are tight enough, I don't want to ask myself if my clothes accentuate my curves enough.
I want to look at myself and ask if my smile reaches my eyes, I want to ask myself if my attitude is joyful, if I am willing to be caring, kind, understanding.
I don't want to look at myself and see only my body. I don't want to stand there and appraise myself based on the outside, but on what's within.
As it should be with every woman.
But today, we are not told to look within, we are told, we are shown, we are taught, that what is most important is on the outside.
Walk into your local mall, walk into almost any clothing store, and you find skinny jeans, mini-skirts, booty shorts, find tight-fitting shirts, you find see-through clothing. I admit, I have bought my fair share of jeans, and shirts (although I have yet to venture into the paradox that is see-through clothing...and I don't plan on it)
but the more I look at myself in the mirror, the more I think and contemplate and pray about it, the more I desire something, well, more!
The long skirts, the accessories, the scarves, the modesty, the beauty. That is what I yearn for, I don't want to show off my body, but my intellect, my talents, my spirit, my soul. I want to be feminine, I want to cherish the fact that I am a daughter of the Most High, I want to have that mystique, that air of grace, that I have seen in so many others who are inspirations to me.
I realize though, that a change of wardrobe does not a lady make. Modesty is certainly part of being a lady, but her humility, her kind, gentle, and joyful spirit, the beauty of her soul, these are also important aspects. And these are not unattainable. All of these things that I have mentioned (except the clothes) can be attained through two things, that, as Catholics, are vital.
Prayer and the Sacraments.
Do you not think, that if we truly ask with a sincere heart that the Spirit we have been confirmed in will not grant us a spirit of humility, that joy, that understanding, that caring? Do you not think that He would instill in you a sense of modesty and chastity if you so asked?
He gave the Apostles the grace to speak dozens of different languages, I do not dare assume that He would not grant these graces, even to me, if I ask it of Him.
Femininity, modesty, chastity, these are all words that women shy away from because they believe them to be a sort of imprisonment, but truly, these words, put into action, help you recognize your full potential as a woman...as a daughter of the Lord God.
When I die, God willing, when I am very old, I want to look back and say with certainty that, like Mary, I magnified the Lord, and not myself, through all that I am.
*Btw, I am not saying pants are a bad thing, we should be careful though regarding the length and fit, also, I personally love skirts and wish we could go back to the days of petticoats and gowns- corsets are optional*
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