Monday, April 16, 2012

Perception

Yesterday I received an email from a woman I've never met in person. We have been on various on-line lists and groups for many years. She used to own a quilt shop, she teaches quilting and of course, is interested in quilting. I am a quilting teacher, own a quilt shop and of course am passionate about quilting. Over the years we both have posted opinions, advice and general conversation. The gist of her email was that she had garnered a perception of what I looked like. I was in my mid 30's with long, dark, softly wavy hair. I was tall and thin and wore longish, dark and flowing dresses and glided or waltzed when I walked. Actually her perception of me is how I see myself:(Photo from the Internet. This is NOT and has never been me!) You can see a photo of the REAL me on the right side of my blog.

Or sometimes I see myself as a Little House on the Prairie mom:

As you can see by the above photo (also from the Internet), I carry around baskets of flowers. I don't do hard, manual labor like making candles, scrubbing floors on my hands and knees, etc. I also don't use a nasty outhouse or take a bath in a bucket.

Maybe I could be a Gibson Girl:

I love the hair, the big boosoms, tiny waist and of course, that is a bottle of Diet Coke!

How I "see" myself is somehow a combination of all of the above. How I "am" is a short, somewhat dumpy, overweight 60 year old with some gray in her short, straight hair. I love to quilt, read and breathe deeply of fresh air. I love daffodils, roses and carnations. My husband thinks I am beautiful (he's a keeper...40 years in July) although I bet he still dreams I had hair down to my tukis. I am a Child of God, a lover of Jesus. Satisfied and content with my lot in life (although I do wish all my grandchildren were a stone's throw away).

How do you see yourself?

4 comments:

CindyLu said...

I, too, am tall and then and graceful. And I always carry a small smile as if I know a secret. And I am modest and everyone likes me. BUT IT IS A LIE! In truth, I am fairly content with being loud, boisterous, friendly me. I am working on getting my thin back, and I could do without the mood swings, but I hold no real illusions about myself. I am who I am and it is OK. And graceful? Let's be serious.

CindyLu said...

*tall and THIN*

Carol E. said...

Thin and still a little bit pretty. Nice, a little shy, liberal Christian, love to read, make quilts, and hang out with my hubby/best friend of almost 37 years. If I wanted to, I could quickly get back to the energy and fitness level I would need to hike a long mountain trail. (Sure is fun to look at the inner me and pretend she's real.)

magicthimblecreations said...

I am the person with an image of Brenda Lou that I had to share with her via e-mail. I used to be shy, but now I talk with most anyone I think will exchange words of wisdom with me. I have never been pretty in my eyes, but have found a world full of people to look beyond my looks to see the real me.

I can be very friendly, but I do not like people who think they are better then others. I have friends who are the richest people in the town where we shop and I have friends that struggle from day to day.

Now when I really think about my physical self I would say I am prettier then I was as a young woman. I believe this is because I like the loving situation I live now with my husband of nearly 10 years. I just turned 62, but most people think I am much younger.

It is nice to not worry about impressing others or getting upset because of rejection. Everyone needs to be comfortable in life and share the best of yourself with others.