As the euphoria of becoming a 'delectable' waned, I realized it had nothing to do with the men suddenly getting divine healing in their eyesight, but it had everything to do with my learning to love my caramel skin (brown sounds rather boring don't you think?). But most importantly, learning to love the woman within.
So when I read my laughing lady Ngozi's challenge on my friend Abiola's blog, it seemed a great way to treat myself to an award ceremony; organised by me and for me. Let's see...Where do I start...?
- I love my eyes; the way they flash and dance with mischief; urging you to share in the private joke. I have my Dad's eyes...
- I love the way I walk. Considering how I used to stomp about like an elephant, it is a sheer miracle that Theresa Okeahialam's whooping and posture lessons eventually paid off! The confident strides, the sometimes sensuous glide that announces 'Here I am world! Here I am!"
- I love my legs - many thanks to my mother's genes or else I would have been ruined. For behold, my father's side of the family has "strong' legs that depict the strength of a Nigerian soldier!
- I love my voice; the fact that I can hold a note and sing in near-perfect pitch...this is surely a gift from God...
- The gift of writing, the ability to manipulate words and create music in written form...a skill though honed by careful mentoring at an early page... but a gift from heaven surely...
- I love my youthfulness... the privilege to be both juvenile and adult without missing a beat... I have often wondered why I've never felt older with each birthday......
- The sound of my laughter is music to my ears... literally! When I was in my early teens, it sounded like a cross between a snort and a guffaw! I was in perpetual dismay at the unladylike sound. I honestly cannot remember when it changed... mmmh... must have been music lessons. Whew!
- I am best friends with my body shape now. Honestly, we hated each other most of my life until one day, I realised there was no use hating my earthly packaging. I learned to love it and to my sheer surprise, it began to respond to my tender ministrations and acclamation of love! hhmmmm... curioser and curioser...
- I love my nose. A clear gift from my mother for which I will forever be thankful for! Whew! Imagine if I had a different kind of nose...okay let's not go there.
- I love my lips because when they open in laughter, I see my Dad... I hear his mischievous chuckle and constant ribbing and jokes. I see lips that have been set to laugh riotously, to kiss warmly, passionately; to speak kind words though oftentimes they have spoken words that wounded so deeply... (God forgive me....)
I couldn't have written this 10 years ago... amazing how life's cadence and unexpected twists and turns bring you to a place of recognition...I have come face to face with who I was born to be..a strong, beautiful, black woman who loves God and was created to just be Kelechi...
Beautiful! Just beautiful! I have to take this trip too. So now I'm thinking of all the reasons I love me too.
ReplyDeleteThanks kenikins!
Thanks girl! Thanks for egging me on to do this!
ReplyDeleteGirl,
ReplyDeleteYou know I can relate to this.
I also had my Aha moment at the age of 35, when I had my first child. Suddenly, I realized my value. That I can wag my tail as my beloved late big sister Stella put it. I kind of knew these things about me but could not really articulate them.
1. I love my wit.That I can understand wry humor when everyone else is wondering what the heck does that mean? The ability to laugh riotuously behind the poker face. I love my twinkling eyes,full of mischief but also kindness and compassion.
2. I love my fierceness. My courage. My confidence. The fact that I believe that I can do anything I put my mind to. That I will speak my mind (which has gotten me in trouble more times that I can mention!). That I will fight for what I believe in and the people that I love. That I can stomp into a room with my six inch heels in a place I have never been and act like I own the place! lol!
3. I love that I am passionate. No lukewarmness for this girl. It is all or nothing. In love and in war! In my beliefs. I have cut down on the wars I promise (scout's honor!) And my loved ones know this! I live life with gusto. You don't come back this way twice. So I embrace life.
4. I love my fashion sense. I can make a lot happen with a little. I have "the eye". The metamorphosis that happens with that perfect little outfit. A little nip here and a little tuck there. A little color here and oh that darling accessory and those Micheal Kors or Prada shoes! Sweet! All shoe monsters say hey!
5. I love my curiosity. Always wanting to know more. That is how I ended up being an attorney! I love books. I love music (jazz, rap, hip hop, latin,classical, R&B, country, indie, reggae,old skool), philosophy, politics history, science, world events. I can be opinionated (yeah I know!) Mousey is not for me.
6. I love that I can fit in any crowd. Tha I can hold a conversation with the janitor ans well as the president. That I can socialize with kids, teenagers, my peers, old folks. That I can motivate young people. That I can tell young girls to own their lives and not let any man tell them who they are or should be. That they should stand by their values and refuse to buckle to peer pressure. That they should set high standards for themselves. That they are fearfully and wonderfully made. My daughter and son and their friends say I am a "cool mom". I am flattered but make no mistake, I can crack the whip when I need to.
7. I love my body, my curves, my hips, my lips, my brown eyes, my legs, still rocking at this age, my lips (bless my beautiful mama, Teresa). My battle with the perpertually gaining bulge! Not perfect, but beautiful anyhow. I love all of me. I call all the imperfections my "battle scars". You couldn't have reached my age and not acquired any. That is what makes me, me.
8. I love my sense of adventure. I am not afraid to try new things. I am not afraid of change. I embrace it. I love technology and what I can do with it and the possibilities. This is an exciting century.
9. I love that I am woman of faith and that my faith is constantly growing because I have experienced God's awesomeness firsthand.
10. I love my sense of gratitude. That I know and appreciate that I am not on this journey alone. That I have a crew of sisters and sister-friends who have journeyed with me, who keep me grounded and help me keep it real. That I tell them I love them constantly.
Wow! Wow! way to go girl! Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWow! Coincidentally I will be 30 in 10days time and I should go through this journey too. Everyone should walk this walk of realization of self. I believe we will learn to be more grateful to GOD for making us go through the storms and fire, so we come out refined as gold.
ReplyDeleteYour write-up is truly a sonata. Thanks for sharing.