Friday, May 13, 2011

The Ugly Ducking: True Beauty Conversations

Please excuse the lateness of this post. Blogger was down for about 30 hours yesterday and today.

My friend Melissa and I are continuing our conversation about Beauty this morning. We've been talking about True Beauty through a series of letters on Fridays: What is Beauty? What will we tell our daughters about Beauty? We're so glad you're joining us. We would love to hear from you!
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Dearest Melissa,
Before I can really get started, I must ask your forgiveness. Three weeks ago you wrote a beautiful letter in response to mine. You poured out your heart, and offered grace to me.

And my response? Lady Gaga.

The post was well-intentioned. I didn't mean to put Lady Gaga up on some pedestal. To be honest, saying I "love" her might have been a bit of a stretch. Truth be told, I know nothing of her politics, personal life, or even all of her music. I do enjoy grooving to her tunes when I'm working out, or to motivate myself on my way to work out. As I told you in an email---if Amy Grant could kick it like Gaga does, I'd totally jam to that.

I realize, too, that both the song and the Glee episode had implications of homosexuality. I absolutely did not want to go there. There was truth in the message, for what it was, without opening that can of worms.

My letter was on topic, as far as our theme about Beauty, but it ignored the words from your heart. You are right, friend. When things get serious, I tend to find ways to interject humor and fun. All of that is well and good, but not when I ignore you and come with my own agenda.

Thank you for your grace in your response last week. Please forgive my insensitivity?

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So, in light of my words above, I in many ways, feel like I'm responding to two your letters.

A few weeks back you wrote these words:

Our histories are meant to be told because they are parts of His Story. Our histories, however sordid or bleak, are meant to be told, meant to be shared as the beautiful gifts that they really are!


Julia, we can't hide our history. We can't toss it out in the trash like a group of journals and live as if it never happened.
I love this.

It made me think, oddly enough, of The Ugly Duckling, the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Hang with me. I know it's random. I can explain.

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Hop on over to Melissa's to read the rest of my letter.

2 comments:

Craig said...

Random is good. Lady Gaga - well - she's a pop star - and true - Amy Grant can't kick it like her. I have hearted my share of non-Christian artists - and this topic - so important - I heart it. God Bless.

Paula Keller said...

Hiya!
I know I've stopped by your blog before, but I've just come back by and have been poking around. Your girls are ADORABLE and I loved, loved, LOVED your Mother's Day post!
I have 11 month old twin girls, have gone through infertility, and have miscarried three times - so that post hit home.
PJ