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when i was in 12th grade geometry (yes, 12th. not a misprint. certified genius, couldnt figure out how to not fail algebra until 11th grade.) i used to ask my teacher the same question every day. the lovely question that every teacher dreads, but every teacher should be equipped to answer. "when am i ever going to use this?" and he would give me a wishy washy reply about figuring out how much tile ill someday need for my bathroom. to which i would reply, "i wont need to know that. im going to be a famous actress. ill pay somebody to do that." and then he would roll his eyes and i would go back to reading "Lolita," which i would have placed just right so that it looked like i was reading my geometry book, but really wasnt. anyway, that is not at all what im trying to say. what im trying to say is that i had another favorite question for when i really wanted to throw off my teachers. "did adam and eve have bellybuttons?" i know. i know. so lame and overdone. at the time, i didnt know anything about adam and eve and only knew that they wore leaves and i really couldnt figure out the belly button thing. i still dont have the belly button thing down, but ive figured out the leaves.
ive never been a huge fan of clothes. i like fashion and whatnot just fine, but ive just never had an overwhelming sense of modesty or a natural human desire to cover up. i spent the first 9 years of my life in my underwear, then my mom married my dad and i became a teenager and walking around in my underwear got me alot more lectures about propriety than what it was worth. since ive been married ive learned a whole lot about modesty and about how to love people by covering up (except omar, who feels alot more loved when i dont cover anything up. just kidding but not at all). weird, right? so weird. i had no idea about this concept. here it is: being modest in the way we dress is a way to love the men in our lives by not letting them stumble or be tempted or whatev, however i am starting to think it is also a very good way to love the ladies in our lives. for reals. this isnt even the point of this blog, but i was reading something about mormons and modesty and i really like what this guy said:
"Does the outfit make members of the same sex more conscious of their physical inadequacies? If your dress causes feelings of inadequacy in others, then you know you are being immodest. It is not Christian conduct to make other people feel bad because they were not blessed with your physical bounties." -John Welsh (some big time mormon guy who makes a really valid point)
cut, right to the heart. i think this applies to all people. it got me thinking about humans, and the way we try to look our best and that is commendable. but the guy has a point. i think there is a much deeper issue than clothes here though. there is a spiritual modesty that happens, and i think its entirely possible that im totally missing the boat on that one. i think that its possible that we are created to be naked. actually, from what ive read, i know it is. we were never supposed to cover up, and yet, if you knew the stuff that goes on in my heart or home, you would call me a hypocrite, and possibly never speak to me again. and the same might happen for you. i love facebook and all of its glory, and im not so fond of debbie downers, but wouldnt it be interesting if we posted what was actually happening in our lives? like, "allie garcia is... hungover at church this morning and also just got in an argument with her husband because she overdrafted their bank account" or "just got back from the store where i saw a girl that was way prettier than me and spent the last hour trying to look up pictures of rachel bilson so i can dress cuter and feel better about myself" or, you get the idea. im going to work on that because i think that being naked is a really good idea. also, dressing modestly is good too. and adam and eve probably did not, in fact, have belly buttons. just kidding, how would i even know that?
donald miller, who also happens to me my favorite author, wrote a blog about nakedness too. read it. its good for your soul.
7 comments:
I bet I know who loaned you that copy of "Lolita!"
I just love this post Allie. Thanks for sharing.
Totally agree about your first paragraph. That was my constant question too. Although the other day I had to use algebra for something and I was like "dam you miss rapley!" lol
Dustin and I were talking a few weeks ago about facebook and how it can be depressing to read peoples updates. Everyone wants to come off as really cleaver, or smart, or talk about the cool stuff they're doing. But you're right, people dont normally say exactly what's going on.
On modesty-seems a topic that has come up a lot lately. I always think it's quite funny when I see girls who are showing so much t&a that it almost becomes uncomfortable to watch.
The belly button thing is funny.
another thing i was thining about that quote....
it's really hard to know who you're going to make feel inadequate and such about what you're wearing or how you're dressing etc. I think more than worrying about making people feel or not feel inadequate, the goal should be to cheer others on and be glad for them if they're 5'8 and have perfect teeth and skin instead of feeling inadequate because I don't fit that criteria and some clothes might look better on a taller girl than on me, and some shirts are going to look better on other girls because they have bigger boobs. it's life.
My advice to a girl who strives to be modest would be to like who are are, have confidence in yourself, and to not be insecure about the differences we see in ourselves and in others and never let a nip-slip happen. it's just not cute!
ps, we need to have coffee soon.
I say, if you got it, flaunt it! You're only young once... ! Don't hate me!
I haven't been to your blog in awhile... but so glad I stopped by for a visit because THIS POST ROCKS. You are such a gifted writer and your honesty inspires me. I'm gonna share this post with my teenage daughters too. Thank you!
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