Day Ninety-Two: Sweet Sandy B

Heartbroken. A woman gives us inspiration that everyone, EVERYONE, is worthy of redemption regardless of how checkered their past may be. Someone could be covered in tattoos, have a child with a porn star, and make a living out of building motorcycles, and they are someone worthy of love, a nurturing home, and a solid woman who wants to grow old with them. I believed her then, and I still believe it, even if it may or may not have been true of the person for whom she indended.

Sweet, sweet, Sandy B....I've had a week of nothing but Hope Floats, Practical Magic, and Miss Congeniality. I'll be watching The Blind Side tonight now that my kids are down.

As I watch all of this drama unfold before the American Snarky Population (me included), a couple of things that have been reinforced that wise people have told me through the years...

1. We cannot control the outcome. We could do everything perfect, and it could all fall apart. We could do everything wrong, and we could be a couple until our last breath.

2. Everyone IS worthy of a second chance. It's up to them to make something of it.

3. At the end of the day, what we really can rely on is ourself. Did we take care of ourself that day? Did we do something for ourself to make us be better, feel better? Are we growing in strength, individuality, wisdom, and perserverence? Did we go to that quiet place inside and find peace? For, we cannot find that in someone else, and we will often be dissappointed if we look for it there.

4. We all go through the fire. We all feel pain, we all have to make very difficult choices. Unfortunately, the ideal dream of a marriage doesn't exist.

As I look at these photos of Sandy, I see myself. I hope that other women, especially moms, can see themselves as well. On one hand, I see a mother - crooked sunglasses, shirt pulling down from the weight of carrying a sweet baby girl, minimal makeup, comfortable clothes. On the other, I see what working out, makeup, a nice hairdo, and a great dress can do for that same woman. There's power in both. Often, as a mother we feel like we're the former, and that's great...until we need to feel another kind of beautiful.

I hope that you take some time for yourself this Easter and recommit to yourself, to your growth, to allow yourself to feel pain, and to feel beautiful regardless of what your circumstance may be. I hope that next time you're in pain, you remember Sweet Sandy B, and maybe watch a little Hope Floats.