Lady

Is she not just the most beautiful lady?

I recently read the book The Art and Power of Being a Lady...

Every rule and all the advice I read about made me think of the lovely Audrey.

Her talent and class is timeless.

Pooh Bear Backpacks to Diamond Rings...

Tawni and Rob

For years growing up my best friend down the street and I would get really excited for the new school year approaching... Not for the homework or waking up early, but because we loved getting all our new back to school supplies and clothes. The night before school we would go to each others houses and show off to each other all our new clothing, backpacks, jewelry, and then decide on a similar outfit to wear for the first day back.

Tomorrow we go back to school after a summer like never before. Tonight, rather than her showing off her new school clothes, she showed off to me her wedding ring. My best friend is engaged!!! When she called me to tell me the news my first reaction was to cry. I am not sure why, because I am soooooooooo happy for her, but in a sense I knew for sure she was a goner. She has a new best friend now, someone she gets to spend eternity with, who will hold her hand through the good and the bad, someone who will come home from work every night and tell her he loves her more than anything or anyone in the world, she gets to wake up every morning to him and know that he is going to be the father of her children.... Things I could never do or be for her, he is going to do and be. He is such a lucky man to have her!

I think the tears were more for happiness than sadness... A realization that we are all grown up now. We don't spend hours everyday together watching Mary-Kate and Ashley movies, but strengthening the relationships we have with our boyfriends. This is a moment we have looked forward to for so long, and its happening now. I truly could not be happier for her. I can't even imagine the joy she must feel in her heart. Someday I will know the feeling and I can't wait for that.

It's a darned good thing God put love on this earth, because there is nothing that can even compare. The happiness that radiates from people in love spreads like crazy to the people around them, creating a world that is truly good.

eat. pray. love.

Lets discuss this story.

Now, don't get me wrong... There are parts in the story that are very inspirational and the film was absolutely beautiful, i mean who could not want to go to Bali after seeing that?

But, the beginning of the story disturbs me, like to the point where I think about it a lot and kinda want to punch a wall or something. The book makes it seem a bit more rash. when she decides to leave her husband, her being super depressed and all, but still, it doesn't justify it at all!!!

Everywhere I go lately people are talking about Eat Pray Love...and most all the ladies that are married talk about how inspirational it was and how they feel the same way about their marriages and would love to just leave their husbands and go travel. Seriously???

Human beings do not take marriage serious these days. Nobody is making you get married, its your decision in the first place, and when you make that serious decision you better darned well be set on being with that person for forever. GO FIND YOURSELF BEFORE YOU GET MARRIED!!! It is so important.

So, she leaves her husband because she is miserable, right? But doesn't she seem super depressed and lonely until she finds love again at the end of the story in Bali..? Well, it shows the beginning of her relationship with the suave guy in Bali... Just about every relationship is bliss for a certain amount of time. But then you discover their faults, and things get harder...but that is when you truly make the CHOICE to love them still. Marriage is compromise, trust, and unselfish love. The women (liz), is never going to become happy unless she simply chooses to be by those three things.

One thing I did love from the film was to spend about 20 minutes a day either meditating, praying, scripture reading etc. and, live your life to the fullest. Those two things make the biggest difference in life... but you don't have to divorce your spouse to live your life to the fullest. Live life with them, and if for some reason you decided to marry someone who doesn't want to travel like you and your marriage depends on you traveling, then go travel with out them. If they are not willing to compromise and go travel with you sometimes then it is their own problem and it shouldn't hold you back. But divorce never makes things easier or better for anyone. (A year ago I would have said that nobody should EVER get divorced until we experience heart break in our family with someone being unfaithful. I finally was able to see first hand that some people are better off.) It is just her reasoning for leaving him that bothers me I guess...

Am I just a young girl in love and completely bias?

If anyone has insight I would love to hear it.

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”

-Aristotle

"Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in the world." ~ Lucille Ball

I have really discovered recently that respect for yourself is the key to happiness. When you love you, then you stop worrying about yourself and care for those around you. I have noticed as I have tried to reach out to people around me and brighten their day, it brightens mine as well. Everything comes back around to you, so if you are spreading negative energy about yourself and others, then you're going to quite often feel like (as my 9th grade sewing teacher would put it) a shmuck! YOU can make a big difference in the lives of those around you. But, you must respect yourself first. I don't care what you need to do to make it so you feel positive about yourself, just do it!!! This past year in school I have struggled a lot with my classical singing. I put so much negative energy into it that it made it so I had even more trouble learning how to sing that way. One day my voice teacher made me promise I would wake up every morning, look in the mirror, and say "I am a beautiful classical singer!"

I know it sounds so cliche, but it really did work... As I began to put a positive outlook on the singing I began to improve so much, and became a happier person because I wasn't always frustrated with myself.

LOVE yourself, and LOVE those around you as much as you love YOU!

The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.

-MLKJ