She Magazine APRIL 2016 | Page 27

吀愀欀椀渀最 刀攀栀愀戀 琀漀 琀栀攀 一攀砀琀 䰀攀瘀攀氀 THEN ONE DAY, WHEN I WAS ONCE AGAIN spending way too much time and energy on poor-pitiful-me mirror time, it hit me like a ton of hair-made bricks: What, if anything, are you grateful for these days then? I survived an often deadly illness, thanks to answered prayers, and I’m whining about my hair? Apparently, I need my head examined, both figuratively and most certainly literally. Let’s get this straight now – though surely not via the hair – I was depressed about the reappearance of the very thing I was depressed about losing? Yes. And that awkward realization remains a very vivid V-8 bonk on the head moment for me. So now I am embarking on a new spring journey. It’s time to start walking among the blessings instead of taking the “curses” trail. Hair falling out? At least you are alive. Hairdo resembles an unkempt scouring pad? At least you have some. Medical bills overwhelming? Presidential election process jumping on what’s left of your last nerves? At least you are a citizen of a country where you have a voice in that process. Can’t figure out what to do with what’s left of your life? At least you have choices. Married to a man who seems to always have a better handle on patience and other virtues? At least you know love. Grocery stores no longer a mile away? At least you have a garden right out your front door, idiot. Friends live at least 30 minutes away, and some much farther? At least you own a car and a phone. Hello, use them. Of course, one can get carried away with this blessings journey (perhaps like I just did?). But it’s sure worth a try. It has to be better than the usual complaint focus, doesn’t it? Absolutely. And, besides, it’s biblical – trials and tribulations shape us into who we are to become – but only if we let them. In the feast of life, we’re not just here for dessert. Sometimes, in order to have a fine coat, we must cough up a few hairballs. Scratch that analogy. Let’s consider Romans 5:1-5. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. I’ve tacked it up by the computer, but now that I think about it, I might need to move it to the bathroom mirror for a while. Or maybe I should just put it all over the house, and in the car. At least until I can fully grasp the lesson that is within the miracles of this burden-filled life, both large and small (and apparently hairy). You’d think, after having been given another chance to stick around here for a while longer, I’d be a bit more centered on blessings and hope, wouldn’t you? Evidently I still have an awful lot to learn. And speaking of blessings and lessons, be glad I did not subject you to a little walk down my personal hair-do and hair-don’t memory lane. Suffice it to say that the Dorothy Hamill, Vidal Sassoon (think Mr. Spock), Ironing Board Straight, Big Bangs Theory, Permanently Poodle, Gray Ghost, and What-about-the-Bob looks have all been tried with very minimal success and mostly massive failure. The spring fashion season is upon us. I, for one, am hoping that big, floppy-brimmed hats will make a significant and long-term comeback – at least until I can master the look of this new Hair Apparent. Meanwhile, I’ll keep practicing how to be grateful in ALL circumstances, and not just on the happy hair days. 愀 搀椀瘀椀猀椀漀渀 漀昀 眀椀氀猀漀渀 猀攀渀椀漀爀 挀愀爀攀 ㌀㘀㈀  匀琀攀瘀攀渀猀 匀琀爀攀攀琀 簀 䰀漀爀椀猀Ⰰ 匀䌀 ⠀㠀㐀㌀⤀ ㌀㤀㔀ⴀ㠀㤀㜀  眀眀眀⸀䰀漀爀椀猀刀攀栀愀戀䄀渀搀一甀爀猀椀渀最䌀攀渀琀攀爀⸀挀漀洀 SHEMAGAZINE.COM APRIL 2016 27