Day 16, 100 Days to Brave: Believe You are Never Alone

Let's begin today with the prompt:

Be Brave: 

Just look in the mirror today and say to yourself, 

"Friend, you are never alone". (I do this a lot-such a good reminder.)

Annie's request for us to look in the mirror and speak affirmation to ourselves may seem rather simple...and it is. 

It is easy to walk to a mirror. 

It is easy to say a few words. 

It is easy to walk away...and never have had felt a thing. 

But I want to feel whatever it is she is feeling here. The treasure she is willingly sharing.

Many years ago, a decade, actually, I was a weekly-show at a local counselor. I would go and talk with Brian about many things, but high on the list was this suspicion that Big Strong Man was soon going to propose to me (spoiler-alert: he did!!) and I needed to not need him. ...I needed to be firm in myself before I could share who I was. And I had this legit fear that I would look to him to complete me and he would never be ale to do so...and I would become bitter...resentful.... I knew I needed to take a good, hard look at my life. 

Once, Brian made me look at myself in a mirror. First off, it was in his presence, which was awkward, but secondly -horrifically- he asked me to speak love to the girl in the mirror. I won't go into details, just know that this exercise was excruciating to me. 

Part of my bravery story is that I share these stories, some painful, some embarrassing, some lame as heck. But I share them because they are parts of me. 

When I look in the mirror, I desire to see me. 

Not to see my breakouts...or gray hairs.

Not to see the darkness under my eyes and the chia seed stuck between my teeth. 

Not to see my summertime freckles- which I love!

Or the tiny hole on my left nostril where I once had a nose piercing.

I look to see me: the child of God. 

Me: the fearfully and wonderfully made daughter of 

the Most High. 

I look to see what He sees. 

So I will dwell at the mirror a little longer.

I will look myself in the eyes and repeat: Friend, you are not alone. Friend, you are not alone.

                                                    

Here's Annie...I found this picture when I googled her name and then found the subsequent- very well written post to go along with it. It is suitable for today. Annie F. Downs: win-win!) 

Annie's Blog post: When Positive Self Talk Isn't Enough