SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO........

HEY EVERYBODY AND WELCOME BACK......

I have a confession to make.....but shhhh.....it must be our little secret.....okay?  I am coming out of the closet ........ as a true southern belle.  I wear beautiful hoop dresses by day and corset lace ups by night.  I float down long spiraling staircases and glisten in the sunlight.  I tote my parasol overhead and extend gloved hand to every gentleman that passes by.  WAIT WAIT WAIT...pause and rewind.....(there I go again getting enraptured in the mental playground of my mind, pretending to be something other than what I am).

Long gone are the days of Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'Hara.  (another confession:  i have yet to see that movie all the way through....WHAT?!  i know, right?!)  Now we have the days of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.  (not even gonna try to compare that)  And, before you start to remind me that Gone With The Wind is but a mere fantasy in the mind of an artistic genius, let me remind you that the ebb of and flow of southern posterity was indeed a real thing.

Growing up in the South ...... and I am sure many other parts of the country as well ....... we gals were taught to be "ladies".  To keep our legs crossed when wearing a dress, to keep our opinions to ourselves if they weren't positive or encouraging, to use intelligent words instead of cursing, and to conduct ourselves at all times with proper decorum no matter what - those were the things a true southern belle learned at a very young age.

While all this seems quite simple, it can really be a burden.  To always be reserved and poised and to always behave with proper etiquette is tiring indeed!  Let's just be honest.....sometimes you just want to "let your hair down" and throw down!  Sometimes you just want to leave propriety at the door and let 'em have it!  Sometimes you just want to forget etiquette and dig in with both hands savagely cramming that chocolate pie down your throat.  Sometimes you just want to scream and cry and throw a big ole hissy fit right in the middle of the checkout line when the cashier tells you the debit machine is broken, AGAIN!  UGH......maybe the burden of elegance is what finally caused Miley to......... oh, nevermind ;)

Although living with dignity is important, there are times when we just need to kick back, relax, and be ourselves.  Class is one thing, but pretense, quite another.

Often times, in the quest to be the perfect little lady, it is easy to lose oneself.  The constant repression of emotion and desire quelches the spirit and brings a slow death of who one really is.  It zaps the joy and strength right out you and leaves you feeling hollow and alone.

The Bible says that laughter is like medicine.  It is good for the soul.  It gives life and brings health to the bones.

The bottom line is.......sometimes you really do need to let your hair down!  And, although it would be improper to throw down, you can "laugh down" - laugh down your sorrows, laugh down your depression, laugh down your anger, laugh down your insecurities, and laugh down the joy of Heaven.

I hope you will find a way to just be yourself.  Believe it or not, you can still be classy and proper while being real.  You can still be kind and encouraging.  You can still use the salad fork with the second course of your meal (i think it's the second course, but since i'm not 'society', i can't be sure).  And, you can still use intelligent words.  The difference is:  YOU CAN DO THEM WHILE ENJOYING THEM.

So go ahead....let your hair down....enjoy life.....be yourself.....because, you were created for purpose, so go be all you can be!