Category: Photos

I first saw this video when my niece posted it to Facebook. Wow! What a message. Read the back story here: http://www.elle.com/news/beauty-makeup/colbie-caillat-try-video-makeup-transformation

I am one of those odd women who doesn’t wear make up, except on special occasions. I grew up (Amish) Mennonite, so the women around me didn’t wear makeup – that was foolishness and even sinful. But during my formative years much changed in our church, including dropping the descriptor “Amish.” It became acceptable for women to cut their hair and not wear a prayer covering, to wear fashionable clothes and makeup. My church no longer believes that we must wear ___ or look a certain way to be acceptable in God’s sight.

However, it was a non-church incident in grade 10 that most influenced my use of makeup. A good friend, Wendy, got sick and missed several days of school. When she returned she told us how her boyfriend came to visit during that time and she was so terribly embarrassed because she had no makeup on. Her horror at being seen without makeup astounded me. I was determined from there on to be loved for who I am – without makeup. I wore minimal makeup in high school, and later, none at all, not even to work.

And then another niece posted a link to this article: My ‘Naked’ Truth by Robin Korth — every woman’s fear, that she will be found not attractive/sexy. That her aging body will be found “not enough.”

I believe it is so important to be comfortable with who you are. I don’t much care for pictures of myself, I’m rarely pleased with how I look. I can find all kinds of flaws in my body. I’m so glad that the two men who have loved me told/tell me I’m beautiful, though I’ve never quite believed them. Yet, I like who I am. I’m comfortable with this body, it has brought me through nearly sixty years of life. It has grown two babies. It has given me much pleasure and joy (and pain, but that is so much less). I know I can bodily show the love, the compassion, the joy, and the sorrow that I feel. And though I’ve often said, when I have a migraine, that I want a different head, it’s not true. I am happy with what I’ve got, with who I am.

When I’m all alone I truly like the one I’m with.