Friday, April 17, 2009

Who are you?


I used to want to be like other people. As I child, I thought it would be so cool to be left-handed. I believed if I tried hard enough, I could change over to being left-handed like my best friend and my mother. So, for a few days, I pretended to be. It was much more trouble that it was worth.

I'd always wanted to have a pretty voice but when I sang loudly, people gave me strange looks. I'm not sure if you can become a good singer if you have no talent, but I sure tried.

Growing up, I hated being redheaded because I was different. I wanted to blend in with everybody else. Not stand out. Plus, being redheaded means you get sunburned. My friends and I would go to the pool and I'd try to be just like them--I'd use baby oil instead of sunscreen. Tanning never worked for me.

Does anybody ever feel this way? Want to change how God made you?

After turning 25, I began to appreciate my red hair. I stopped trying to tan and began to sing quietly with my lips and loudly in my heart. As I'm growing up (it takes a while for some of us)I'm amazed about something. When I sit with a group of people, or am with my friends, each of us is good at totally different things.

Like Monday. Someone asked me to write something. I sat down at my computer and my heart was all over it. I played with the words--put thoughts together, took them apart, rearranged them--until I felt pleased. But if this person had asked me to sing a solo, or paint a picture, or make a centerpiece--no way!

Another friend, Robin, is fantastic with decorating a room, a space, a shelf--anything her hands touch, she makes beautiful. She has an eye for color, organization, and knows how to make you feel at welcome in her home. Here's her blog www.robinrane.wordpress.com

Leigh Anne can sit down in a group of people, strum her guitar, and sing with the sweetest voice you've ever heard.

One of my daughters is a nanny. She loves children. She doesn't panic when they pitch fits. She also knows how to make them smile with simple things--like making 'smores.

My other daughter doesn't really like little kids. She's a probation officer. She knows how to be tough.

It's okay to be different!

As I think about my peeps, I see their strengths, gifts, talents. I'm beginning to understand this is part of God's plan. We can't be good at everything. We need each other.

Learning to accept myself was a process. Now I can say with a smile, "I'm a right-handed redheaded nerd who enjoys writing."

Who are you?

Julie

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

And this is why I will always be a big fan of Mister Rogers. He's the first person to ever tell me:
I like you just the way you are!!!
love you J~Robin

Julie Garmon said...

Well said, Fred.

Kristy said...

I know how you feel about the hair thing. I have dark brown hair that's almost black. And when I was younger, nobody had hair as dark as mine...all the girls in my class were either light or medium brown or blonde. And I hated being different.

Now...I love my hair color. I guess it's one of those things that you just need to realize as you get older.

Julie Garmon said...

For sure, Kristy. Growing up, I'd have wanted YOUR color. :-)

pngmeri said...

hey miss julie =)
i like your blog!
red heads rock =)
-kristin