Illusions of Womanhood

Hallo Wonderbeau Everyone! I hope it’s well with your soul?

So I am trying to pick off my musings one by one, not because I have more time, but because I am giving up something (my personal care, at the moment) to write. But currently, I will rather write than brush my teeth. Hopefully, that doesn’t become a habit. 😬 😅

I just read another chapter of a novel from from Notes to Women, an author on this platform, gripping stories she writes, I tell you. I stop over at her “place” on this WordPress “Avenue” to read her latest novel updates, before coming “home” to muse.

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Survive and Thrive: The New Resolve…

Happy New Year to you wherever you are!

I know many of us entered this year with tentative hope that there will be a break from last year’s happenings. As we try not to think that the other shoe might drop.

Ironic how many are just grateful they made it. So grateful in fact, that I haven’t heard the popular narratives of “New Year Resolutions”.

Maybe because, people just want a break. And you don’t need a special list for that.

I think people have also come to learn the hard way, that plans can fail, in the most unexpected way anyone can imagine.

I guess, it’s safe to assume that the plan for this year is one word : Survive.

I feel, should anyone mention New Year Resolution, people might actually recoil in angry fear.

This wasn’t the case, for many years until last year’s events reset everything.

It was fashionable to talk about Resolutions as one year closes and another begins.

Now, New Year Resolution is the new elephant in the room, threatening the tentative peace of many. How times have changed!

I will like to say, for many, we have learnt…well, re-learnt honesty, empathy, careful living — rather than the carefree exuberance that has plagued humanity for so long.

I suspect, that we are in some sort of purgatory, naughty corner and whatever it is called in High School.

And until, we get our acts together and acknowledge God as our God and seek righteousness, many will stay in that naughty corner.

The earlier you are repentant the sooner you are released from the naughty corner, leaving behind those who stubbornly want to hold on to there selfish careless inclination to life.

Just in case you’re wondering what the naughty corner is; it’s the virus with it’s different strains and no globally acceptable cure in sight. Rather, vaccines whose side effects make you wonder if there’s any difference between the virus and the vaccine.

If I were you, I would just healthily eat my way into an immune system boost. Further research, in this way of thought will show you what I believe are preventive measures to take.

However, if you trust what organisations of the world are saying than what is right in front of you, then once again, you won’t see nutrition as the way out. Because, it’s not globally recognised.

Well, pray without ceasing. Seek God’s presence and live according to God’s standard. If you still think you don’t have to do that, you have no idea how alone you are.

If you really want to survive and thrive, the Living God through Jesus Christ is the Answer for you and the world today.

Once again, Happy New Year!

January 2021 Writing Prompts

Faith&Religion

Hello Beautiful People. How are you doing?

Religion and faith are somehow intertwined. To live a healthy lifestyle, you have to be religious about it. It’s not about what you “feel like” doing. It’s about what you need to do to be healthy and strong.

Faith is believing that your efforts will yield good fruits in the near future, even if you can’t “feel” or “see” the results.

Early morning sunshine gives you a healthy dose of vitamin D. 

I had to work most part of the night, and I “woke” up tired. But faith — I think — propelled me to drag myself, mat, radio and cover cloth to the balcony where the sun had hit at about few minutes before 8AM.

I flopped down under the warm sun trying to catch headline news, and roll around on the mat trying to have a complete sun bath.

When it starts to get hot, it’s time to head in.

Usually, I exercise under the before-8:30AM-sun. But like I said, I was tired but my faith dragged me out to “sun bath”.

I hope you try that too. Afterall, many of us aren’t rushing out to work in the mornings anymore.

I think another name for “works” is religion. Faith is what brings life into our works. 

Or what do you think?

#staysafe #stayhealthy 

Shalom!

Rapid Trends and Timeless Pieces

via Daily Prompt: Rapid 

Hi Everyone.😊

At first, I didn’t know what to write on this topic. I was about to move on, as in, not write. But something from within challenged me, and contrary to what I know of me, I rose up to the challenge and here I am.

I had a blurry day today. It didn’t help that it rained heavily this morning. I was feeling tired, bored, distracted and restless. Quite a dangerous brew, yeah?

I fell into a habit, I’m trying to break. But I’m going to keep getting back up and keep on moving on. I’m quite upset with me for being careless with my well-being.

Times like these, it’s easier to call myself all sorts of names, but what good purpose will that serve? Nil. It’s not easy to feel love towards myself, when I’m not showing love to myself well enough. So I’m kinda pissed with me, but I’m choosing to love myself unconditionally. After all, I have to put my efforts where my mouth is. I have to understand unconditional love on a personal level, by giving unconditional love to myself, so I can recognise and accept it from someone else.

Speaking of rapid. I had to, as usual, check the meaning, to draw inspiration from. What dropped into my mind while reading the meaning, was, trends. Specifically, fashion trends.

As someone who loves fashion and who is a fashion designer; I have noticed trends come and go. But I have noticed some that have remained steady over the decades. Maybe not as hot items, but very relevant. It’s those trends I believe have style, which resonates more with the human nature and environment, that endure the test of time. What we may call ‘timeless’. 

The prints, bright matching and contrasting colours, wrap dresses, Grecian designs, silhouette, cowls, boots, gladiator or boot sandals, jeans, turned up collars, capes, hoods, embroidered clothes, indigenous traditional garments like the saree, kimono, Caribbean skirts and so on; have been around for…. some hundreds of years. Some, for decades. Yet every and any time they are worn, they are stunning, with the latest-in-town aura, that permeates garment and the wearer.

What attracted me to fashion, were those evergreen designs. Most had a quiet simplicity about them, but they were also stylish; and accessorize, complement and gently flatter the wearer. They were simple in their total outlook, but they were as mysterious and difficult to comprehend as the human nature. I think the reason the evergreens have become permanent features in fashion, is because people can’t decode or figure them out. People tend to get bored, when they have seen everything about anything. But something yet to be figured out, holds people’s interest, as long as it’s charm is still a mystery.

The traditional garments and accessories, though most times flamboyant and elaborate, have yet to lose their charm, and they captivate people, who are not even from it’s land of origin. They are ancient work of arts, with stories to every piece, shape, line or curve. They are also symbols of a civilisation and a people. Their symbolism and the stories they tell, makes them evergreen.

Fashion has many definitions. It could be defined as: An expression, a way of life, a transition, a medium of self expression and so on.

I love that nothing is set in stone in fashion. It’s very flexible and accomodating. It’s personal and relative. It promotes and gives sense of belonging.

Shalom. 👘👢🦋

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/rapid/

Mentor

Wow!

Mentor!

I find that word scary, actually. I mean, I understand it’s importance in life and development. But I will like to say, mentoring is not for everyone. Especially, if you are not confident enough to know your mind and do what you believe is right, when everyone — including your mentor — sees what you plan on doing as mission impossible.

I’m very touchy about someone telling me what I must do. I find the ‘must do’ vibe, a bit controlling and maybe manipulative.

Feel free to correct me, if you believe I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about.

I think a mentor should be like a psychologist. Listening, giving gentle prompts until you find the answer yourself. A guide, a friend.

Mentor sounds to me like lecturer, as opposed to compassionate teacher, who helps you understand and apply what you understand.

Interestingly, the dictionary meaning of mentor are: guide, advisor, teacher, counsellor. So why am I opposed to it?

Well, I think it’s probably because I haven’t met the right person or I’m not disciplined enough to handle the position of a mentee. I have had few admirable big-sister kind of women come into my life, but I end up pushing them away or avoiding them.

For one, they end up giving me assignments. Very good thing. But I don’t like assignments, because of the time limit attached to it. So I end up running away. I can’t help but feel bad about all the other reasons I don’t have a mentor or an active mentor. I prefer to use the word friend than mentor. The tone and vibe I get from the word mentor sounds like sitting in a stifling classroom, getting stiff instructions and ultimatums to either shape up or be punished.

What a mentor really means is part of my definition of friendship.

So I think I will settle with friendship.

With a wry smile on my face, it just occurred to me that maybe the reason, why I have had a hard time finding and keeping friends, is because I was seeking mentorship in friendship.

I’m beginning to understand why having a friend seemed like a tall order. But in my defence, I was mentoring those I thought were my friends; even if I didn’t know, that was what I was doing. I thought I was advising them. They probably ran away from me, because of my advice.

But is there something wrong with guiding, advising, counselling someone you care for and expecting the same in return?

Am I confused or expecting too much?

Shalom 🌿

via Mentor