Single and Imperfect
Thursday, May 09, 2013
"I like being single, I'm always there when I need me." -Art Leo
So, in one of my last posts (click HERE if you haven't read it yet), I talked about how the years seem to have just flown by. And it's true- they have.
One of the other things that clued me into this was the fact that, by most people's standards, my sister is no longer considered "single". She actually has a boyfriend now! (I've been instructed- nay, commanded- not to elaborate on this. She says that if anyone wants to know about her relationship, they can come ask. If you'd like some details, feel free to ask. (Her, not me!) But be warned- you might not get the answers you're hoping for. My sister is skilled in the art of evasion...)
Now, we were at an event together, and at one point in the day one of the speakers said, "Are there any single ladies in here?" And what does my sister do? She cheers... Being the wonderful sister that I am, I had to give her a hard time about it. (What else are sisters for?) She said, "I consider 'single' to mean 'not married.' Doesn't everyone?"
Now I don't know about "everyone," but it seems to me that "single" is commonly synonymous with "looking for a relationship." If you're single, you're available for a relationship- a date. If you're not available for a relationship (a.k.a. TAKEN), then you're not single.
But you know what? I can be single without looking for a relationship. I don't need to be dating. In reality, what good is a date at fourteen? Well, except to complicate things and perhaps cause unnecessary heartache.
OK, I guess it's time now to admit something- I'm a girl. (Whew! Glad I got that off my chest...)
Now that we've got that very difficult admission out of the way, you can probably figure out what I'm about to say. Go ahead, guess. I'll even give you a minute to think it over.
Think you have it now? You probably do.
Part of me thinks it might be neat to have a boyfriend. Shocking, I know. I guess that's the part of me that's a normal teenager. I work hard to keep my "normal teenager" self in control and under wraps. In fact, sometimes I'm even a bit prideful about the fact that I'm not a "normal" teenager.
I suppose this leads to admitting something else- I am human.
For any of you who know me and think I'm an angel who never does anything wrong, who never makes mistakes, and is always perfectly perfect, think again. Sorry to burst your bubble, but sometimes... I spill the milk, too. (No need to cry about it, though.)
Sometimes, it's hard to remember that other people aren't perfect. Sometimes, we get so caught up in how amazing, beautiful, funny, graceful, unique, or whatever we think they are that we forget they're only human, too. We let their "amazingness" make us forget that they're human like we are. They make mistakes, they slip up. We spend so much time admiring them, that we forget how amazing God made us. We compare ourselves so much to them, that we cease to accept ourselves as adequate.
So next time you look at that certain person in your life, the one you think "has it all" (money looks, grace, etc.), remember that they are human, too. Their life has ups and downs just like yours. They have their insecurities and shortcomings just like you do.
Don't let some else's apparent perfection stop you from seeing your own awesomeness. Just because you're not them, doesn't mean you aren't awesome!
1 comments
I so glad you have finally come to the point that you can admit you're a girl. I was really worried about you for a while there. And human! It's good to know that you aren't an alien entomologist after all.
ReplyDeleteMore seriously...
All of us are "normal" at times. We all have the same innate desires; it's just that some of us don't let them rule our lives.
Comparison absolutely robs us of our joy in being US! But I've been thinking recently that If I were good at EVERYTHING, I would not only be ridiculously prideful and annoying, but I would be robbed of needing other people (which is the way God has set His children up to work). My missing pieces are filled in by others in the body of Christ. Maybe the fact that I can't hear very well is just telling me that I'm supposed to not be an ear. But I can see wonderfully, so I should go help out the eye. I could moan about the fact that I can't hear worth a flip, or I could go do what I'm supposed to be doing!
That was a really long post to basically say, "Amen, sistah!"