think outside the box

this is what i often hear in my head whenever i complain to myself that i don't express myself creatively. you see i have these two friends that have listened to me complaining that complaint so many times before and they give me the gifts that i ask for but then never wear. colorful clothes and hats and scarves. sometimes i wear them within moments of receiving it. i've hardly finished admiring the gift and before i know what's happening, i look in the mirror and my hair has just been redone by myriams fast working hands, complete now with new scarf or hat, or both. and she looks at me and says emphatically.."see...it looks fabulous!". or i sincerely but hesitantly say thank you to ruth for giving me a beautiful sheer blousy dressy type shirt...and ruth, immediately sensing my hesitancy gently tells me...."linda, you're going to have to think outside the box".

well nearly 2 years after receiving this beauty of a shirt as a birthday gift, i finally did it. i've tried it on before but never actually worn it. but yesterday i was getting ready for 2 parties and was going through the usual mental self beating about how all my clothes are the same, boring, traditional, colorless and then thought of how cute some of the women that i was about to see always dress and then i once again thought of ruth and myriam going through my closet and drawers and always finding fun and colorful 'things' that i already possess but that somehow my eyes most often don't even see anymore, as if they're invisible. and i pulled out this gift i received so long ago, took the tag off and i decided to wear it. and it felt so good. and i felt so feminine. and that felt so good. and i really wasn't sure of the earrings and necklace but i wore them anyway. and that felt good. so i went out yesterday dressed in empowerment that i put on when i decided to express my feminine side more than i usually do. and that felt good, too.

think outside the box. okay. okay. i will. i will always try. i will always remind myself to do this.

here is a couple of pics from yesterday - max wearing his rockin ACDC shirt under his calvin klein button down and me in my colorfully feminine birthday gift from 2006!